Living the Dream
by buffygirl52789
Summary: The third installment of my Dawn & Connor series. Dawn, Connor, and Buffy go to Rome to start a new life, and with it comes a whole new set of obstacles they must face.
1. Chapter 1: Midnight Mission

Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine, yet.

Rating: PG 13. Warning: underage sex

Pairing: Dawn/Connor, a little B/A

Author's Note: Yes, I'm alive. And in a way I kept my promise...I promised this story in December....-sheepish grin- I know, I know, but I just needed a little break after finishing Bound By Fate. But I'm back now! Here it is, the third installment of my little D/C series. I hope everyone likes this chapter. It's cute. It takes place right after Chosen/the end of Meant To Be. Remember, Angel season 4 post Spin the Bottle never happened. Sorry for all the B/A ness, I know this is a D/C fic but I just couldn't resist. Well I hope you enjoy, please review and let me know what you think. I hope that everyone had a great holiday, and happy New Year!

Chapter 1: Midnight Mission

About two hours later the bus finally pulled to a stop in front of the Hyperion Hotel. They had already stopped at the hospital, where Faith was with Robin and the others that had been seriously injured. Dawn eagerly climbed off the bus. She was stiff, hungry, and she had to pee.

"Here we are again," Connor said, taking her hand.

She smiled. "Lots of memories here."

"We'll make more," he said, smiling back. He opened the door and held it while the potentials wandered inside, admiring the hotel.

Buffy was the last one off the bus, feeling slightly apprehensive. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. _She knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep knowing that Angel was under the same roof. So close. She instantly thought of a certain blonde vampire and she felt guilty for her thoughts.

_What are you doing? Get it together,_ she said silently to herself as she entered the hotel. "Angel?" she called, her voice quavering a little.

"Buffy," he said, coming downstairs. He smiled directly at her, relieved to see that she was okay. "Guess we won't be needing that second front."

She smiled despite herself. "I guess not."

"Whoa," Gunn said, entering the lobby to find twenty teenage girls wandering around.

Fred, Wesley, Cordelia, and Lorne were close behind him. Dawn waved excitedly, happy to see the people that she had gotten to know during that week months ago.

"Dawn! Buffy. What's going on?" Cordy asked, giving Dawn a hug.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion. Just Sunnydale isn't really there anymore, and we needed somewhere to stay. That is, if you don't mind," Buffy added quickly.

Angel nodded quickly. "Of course." He glanced around, seeing the familiar faces of Xander, Willow, and Giles among the group of mostly strangers. He brightened when he saw his son. "Connor! Hey."

"I'll get the First Aid kit," Fred said, noticing that many of their new guests sported cuts and bruises. Buffy nodded in thanks.

"Hey Dad," Connor said, still holding Dawn's hand tightly.

Angel smiled at them. "So, are you guys okay? No injuries?"

"We're fine," Dawn said, thinking sadly of those who hadn't made it out of Sunnydale. Amanda, Anya, Spike...

"That's good. That's great." He looked around. "It's a good thing we have so much space, huh?"

"Hey, anything will be better than having to share one bathroom," Dawn said, grateful that those days seemed to be over.

"So what did she mean, Sunnydale's gone?" Cordelia asked, talking to Xander across the room. She struggled to look everywhere but at the eye patch. It had been a long time, but it was a shock to see him like that.

"Big hole in the ground. Big, empty hole," he said. "You, um, you look great."

She smiled awkwardly. "You...you too." She turned away, feeling herself starting to flush. "So what are you guys going to do now?"

Xander looked down, fully aware that she was uncomfortable. If he had been in a better mood, he would have joked about it. But the pain that he was feeling inside from the loss of Anya was still too strong to ignore. "I don't know. I guess that's up to Buffy."

"So now every potential slayer in the world is a full fledged Slayer," Wesley said, fascinated. "That's a marvelous idea. You have changed the entire course of the slayer prophecies."

"Yeah. Well it was all Buffy's idea," Willow said modestly.

Fred handed the First Aid kit to Buffy. "I'm going to go get some of the rooms ready."

"Thanks," Buffy said, appreciative. She sat down on the couch and applied some antiseptic to the gash on her forehead, which had already started to heal.

"Is this seat taken?" Lorne asked, sitting down next to her, studying her intently.

"No," Buffy said. She began quickly aware that the kind demon was staring at her. "What is it Lorne?"

"Have you talked about it yet?" he asked quietly.

"About what," Buffy lied, playing with the lid on the First Aid kit.

"Hon it's coming off you in waves. You're grieving."

She looked at him. "I'm fine."

"No you're not. Maybe he was right, maybe you don't love him but that doesn't mean you're not hurting," he insisted.

She stood up quickly. "I'll be fine. I know...I know he died saving the world. And besides, I have more important things to worry about," she said, walking away quickly.

"Take care of yourself sugarplum," Lorne said quietly, concerned.

Fred came back downstairs. "The rooms on the second floor are ready," she said, trying to speak loudly over the hubbub that had come off the bus from Sunnydale.

"Thanks Fred," Buffy said gratefully. "Stop wincing!" she commanded as she tried to clean a gash on Andrew's forehead.

"Well hey sorry I don't have like super healing powers. And it stings," he whined.

Buffy caught Dawn's eye and rolled her eyes. She handed the kit off to Vi and came over to Dawn and Connor. "Hey, I just wanted to ask you guys to please take separate rooms for tonight."

Dawn looked at Connor in alarm. "What? But you said..."

"Yes I know I said but do you really want to see Angel's reaction if he finds out you guys are shacking up?" she asked, with an eyebrow raised.

Dawn looked down in defeat. "I guess you're right...so you're not going to tell him?"

"I hadn't thought about it," Buffy said honestly.

Connor looked at Dawn, then at Buffy. He personally didn't want his father to know about the existence of his sex life, but he also didn't want to push his luck with Buffy since she was being so understanding. He knew that they were lucky that she was going to allow them to be together at all. "Okay." He glanced towards the stairs and saw that many of the former potentials turned slayers were migrating upstairs. "Well I guess we should go turn in. We've had a long day."

"Tell me about it," Dawn said. "Night Buffy."

"Night Dawnie." Buffy gave her sister a quick kiss on the cheek before continuing her rounds.

"You know, your sister is a pretty cool chick," Connor said, wrapping his arms around Dawn's waist.

Dawn narrowed her eyes. "Should I be jealous?"

Connor smiled slyly. "Don't worry. You're the only girl I want." He kissed her softly. "Besides I don't really want my dad to kill me. Right now, he's checking out Buffy, thinking that no one is looking."

Dawn glanced over, and saw Angel turn away quickly as Buffy began to move back in his direction. "They've still got it bad for each other."

Connor put his arm around her waist and started to guide her towards the stairs. "Too bad about the separate rooms," he whispered.

She sighed. "I know. Hopefully we won't be staying here too long."

He laughed. "Yeah."

Dawn groaned suddenly. "What is it?" he asked.

"I just realized that I don't have pajamas. Or a hairbrush. Or anything for that matter," she said grumpily.

"Don't worry. We'll go out and get everything we need tomorrow." He paused. "We should also pick up some, you know, birth control," he said, whispering the last part.

Her eyes widened. "Oh yeah! Well I guess we couldn't really..._do_ anything tonight then."

He shook his head. "I always come prepared." He patted his pocket.

They reached the second floor and stopped. "Well, maybe after everyone goes to bed, I can come see you," she said slyly.

A slow grin spread across his face. "Okay. But be careful."

"I will." They kissed again.

"Good night. I love you," he said softly.

"Love you too." They kissed again before slowly moving apart. "It looks like the rooms are filling up."

"Here's one," Connor said, pushing the door open wider. He saw the clean bed and briefly fantasized about carrying Dawn into it. Shaking the thought from his mind, he took her hand. "Here, you take this one. I'll go down there." He gestured to some still empty rooms down the hall.

"That's so far away," Dawn moaned. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." They kissed again, before finally separating.

Dawn entered her room and closed the door. She sat down on the floor. She would just listen until everyone was asleep, then go see Connor.

Buffy sighed, cleaning up the last of the First Aid supplies. Giles, Willow, and Xander had just gone up to bed, and the Angel Investigations crew seemed to have disappeared. Faith and the other hadn't returned home from the hospital yet either. As far as she could tell, there was only one other person on the bottom floor of the hotel, and that was the one that she could sense a mile away.

"Buffy," he said, standing over by his office. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"

She nodded. "Of course." She put everything down and followed him to his office. He was already seated at his desk when she entered, closing the door behind her.

"I heard everyone talking about what you did today. It sounds like you were incredible. Not that that's a surprise," he added with a slight smile.

She smiled back. "It was really a group effort. Willow did a lot of the heavy lifting."

He nodded, looking down at his hands. "How long have they been sleeping together?" he asked calmly.

Buffy straightened in surprise. "What...how did you..."

"I can sense these things. Smell them. Just like I sensed Spike all over you," he added quietly.

Buffy closed her eyes, uncomfortable. "I...We...I haven't slept with him for over a year."

"I didn't say you had."

"Besides, he's...he's..." she looked down, unable to continue.

"I know." There was a brief, awkward silence. "Did you love him?"

Buffy sighed. "Angel, is that really important right now?" He gave her a pressing look. She looked up at the ceiling. "I honestly don't know." She had thought she knew the answer to that question, but Spike's final words to her kept playing in her head, and she grew less certain of what she had said to him earlier with every silent repetition.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...." his voice broke off. "I know it's been a long day, and it's not my place. So, back to my original question." He looked at her expectantly.

"Last night was their first time," she answered.

He nodded, considering that. "Have you talked to Dawn?"

"Yes. They are very happy together. And I gave them my blessing."

He stared at her. "You gave your sixteen year old sister your _blessing _to be having sex?"

"Angel, stop. She's almost seventeen, she's not much younger than I was. And what else am I supposed to do? Forbid them to see each other? That would probably just make them run away. And then we would never see them again. So if you have a better idea to deal with the situation, then fine, I'd like to hear it," she said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

He was silent for a minute, taken aback. "I wasn't questioning your judgement, I'm just a little surprised. And we know how well it worked out for us."

Buffy closed her eyes, well aware of how it had worked out. "Angel, they're different. Connor is human. He doesn't have a curse!"

"He is the human child of two vampires. I think we both know he's not exactly Joe Normal," Angel retorted.

Buffy looked at him defiantly. "Well Dawn used to be a blob of energy until less than three years ago. But that doesn't have anything to do with anything."

Upstairs, Dawn quietly opened her door and slipped out. The hallway was dark and empty. She could hear faint voices coming from downstairs. _Buffy must still be up._ Walking on her tip toes, she made her way down the hall. _Almost there..._

"Dawn!" A voice sounded behind her, causing her to jump and stub her toe painfully.

"Ouch," she hissed. "Who's there?"

"It's Vi. Are you hungry too?" the hesitant redhead asked.

Dawn cursed silently. "I guess a little. Are you going to get something?"

"Yeah. Fred said that there's food downstairs. Do you want to come with me? This hotel is kind of creepy in the dark," she said.

Dawn sighed. "Sure."

"Well my point is just that they aren't exactly a _normal_ couple either," Angel said. "I just...I'm not a big part of Connor's life. Not like you are with Dawn. You see them, every day. I don't."

"I promise you that I'll watch out for them," Buffy swore.

Angel cracked a small smile. "I know you will." There was a brief silence. "So where do you think you want to go?"

Buffy sighed and sat down in the chair. "I have no idea. Honestly? I wanna go to the beach. I wanna go shopping. I just want to not be thinking about saving the world every five minutes."

He laughed lightly. "Well you definitely deserve that."

They both heard a noise in the doorway and looked up. "Sorry to interrupt," Faith said awkwardly.

Buffy stood up. "It's fine. So how are they?"

"Everyone's fine. The doc wanted to keep them overnight. Can't wait to see how Rona explains her wounds being mysteriously gone by morning," Faith said with a smirk.

Buffy nodded. "Well tomorrow they can come back here and then we can figure out what to do next."

"Sounds good." Faith smiled at Angel, who was still behind his desk. "Hey."

"Hello Faith," Angel said. "How've you been?"

"Saving the world. I'm still working on the whole redemption thing, but I think that's a step in the right direction," she replied. "Got a place I can crash?"

"Yeah, Fred cleaned out the rooms on the second floor. There should be some still empty."

Faith nodded. "Thanks. Good night."

"Night," Buffy said softly. When they were alone she turned back to Angel. "Well I guess I should go to bed too." She didn't realize until after how awkward it was to say those words to him.

"Go ahead," he said. "Good night Buffy. I'm sorry if I was rude."

"No, it's okay. I was a little freaked when I found out too." She paused just outside the door. "They're going to make it work."

He smiled. "I know."

She hesitated. "Good night." Before he could reply she was gone.

Dawn groaned as she reentered her room. Slayer powers had done wonders for timid little Vi: she wouldn't shut up! Dawn listened at the door as the new slayer shut hers across the hall. There were a few moments of silence.

"Okay, take two," she whispered, easing the door open. She ran on the tips of her feet down the hall. _Just a little farther..._

"Dawn, hey," came another voice from behind her. This time she managed to stop without hurting herself. She turned around.

"Faith! Hey," she whispered, not wanting to wake anyone _else _up.

"What are you doing still up?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I'm just...I got lost coming back from the bathroom. Silly me," she said nervously, moving back towards her own room. "See you tomorrow."

Faith shrugged. "Okay." She remembered something. "Dawn, wait."

"What?" Dawn asked tentatively.

"How did that advice I gave you work out for you?" Faith asked, a smile on her face.

Dawn grinned back. "Great. Thanks, by the way."

"Don't mention it." She watched as Dawn went back to her room.

"Dammit!" Dawn hissed once back in her room. All she wanted was a nice night with her boyfriend, how hard should that be?

She heard a door close, probably Faith turning in. _Okay, I'll try this one more time._

She opened the door for the third time. This time, taking no chances, she crept down the hallway. Her heart started to beat faster when she was halfway to the end of the hall with no interruptions. _Okay, just a few more feet..._

She pulled open the door at the end of the hall triumphantly, closing it behind her. "Hey, I'm here."

A startled Andrew sat up in the bed, pulling the blankets around himself. "Isn't it a little late for Dungeons and Dragons?"

Dawn slumped against the door. "Sorry. Wrong room. You know what? I give up." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving a bewildered Andrew staring after her.


	2. Chapter 2: Destination: Rome

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't sure where I was taking this chapter so I have been working on it for a while. Another fairly long one. Many thanks to Kitty and Broken-Sunrise for reviewing...I was disappointed that I didn't get more though. I know there are people reading this that don't bother reviewing coughFREDcough so I would really appreciate it. This chapter is mostly fluff. Fluff is fun. So please review and just let me know what you think of this story so far. Thanks so much! And I'll try to update again soon.

Chapter 2: Destination: Rome

"Seriously, it was like this entire hotel was in on a conspiracy to stop me from getting to your room," Dawn complained as she and Connor descended the hotel stairs the next morning.

Connor smiled, trying not to laugh. "Well maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Don't worry, we'll have our night." They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and he kissed her softly.

"You might not want to do that. I have morning breath and no toothbrush," Dawn said, wrinkling her nose.

This time he couldn't help but laugh. "It's okay. You still look beautiful."

"Well if Cordy hadn't brought over some shampoo, that would be a much different story," she insisted.

"Good morning," Buffy said, coming down the stairs just behind them. "Is everyone up? I'm calling a meeting."

"I think just about," Connor said. "Faith went to the hospital to check everyone out."

Buffy nodded. "Good. We need to make a plan."

"Good morning," Angel said, emerging from his office. "Everyone sleep well?"

_Oh my God. Am I being paranoid, or did he just look right at me and Connor?_ "Yeah, fine," Dawn asked suspiciously. _Did Buffy tell him?_

"What's the plan for today?" Angel said to Buffy.

"I'm hoping to figure that out. Hey guys," Buffy said as Willow and Kennedy came down the stairs, followed by some more potentials. Err, slayers.

"Morning. Xander went out for donuts. He'll be back," Willow said.

"Okay. Where's Giles?" Buffy asked.

"Present," he chirped, entering the front door with a newspaper in his hand.

"So what are they saying about good old Sunnydale?" Buffy said, on the same wavelength.

"Massive earthquake, apparently," Giles said. He held up the cover. EARTHQUAKE DESTROYS CALIFORNIA TOWN read the headline. Below was a picture of the crater.

"As usual, they come up with a perfectly normal explanation for everything," Willow chimed in. "Remember all the excuses the police used to come up with back in high school?"

"Oh yeah. Gas leak, sewer backup," Buffy said with a smile. "But we knew what was really going on."

"I come bearing food," Xander said, entering the hotel holding a box from Krispy Kreme.

"Ooh, yum," Dawn said, rushing over to grab a donut, Connor close behind.

"Okay, everyone, I'd like to talk about what we're going to do today," Buffy said, speaking loudly. Everyone pretty much stopped what they were doing and looked at her.

Angel watched with a smile as the room fell under Buffy's spell. She was such a natural leader.

"Well I know that everyone wants new stuff, so I guess we can go shopping. But keep in mind that the only money we have is whatever you had with you. We can take the bus for now. And then tonight when Faith and everyone are here we can discuss where we are going to go from here. Okay?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Buffy smiled at her. "Okay. Well then, everyone get something to eat, and we'll meet outside on the bus in fifteen."

"Buffy, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone," Angel said quietly.

"Sure," Buffy said, following him to his office. She closed the door behind them as he went over to his desk and opened a drawer.

"I want you to take this, with no questions asked," Angel said, handing her an envelope.

Buffy looked up at him quizzically. She opened it and her mouth fell open. "Oh, Angel, I can't accept this," she said, closing it up.

"No, I insist. You guys were left with practically nothing, and I want to help. Believe me, I can afford it," Angel said quietly.

"But Angel, there must be..."

"Please, just take it. I want you, Dawn, and Connor to have a new life. Without any worries," Angel insisted.

Buffy looked at him. "How can I ever thank you enough?"

"You don't have to."

Against her better judgement, she took a step closer to him. "Angel...thank you."

He felt his body tense as she moved closer. "Don't mention it..." Before they realized what was happening their lips were only inches apart...

They broke apart at the sound of a loud crash from the lobby. Buffy closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No, it was mutual," Angel said, forcing himself to move away. "What happened?" he said, entering the lobby.

Vi looked up at him, her eyes very wide. Two of the other potentials were staring at colored glass fragments on the floor. "I-I'm sorry, we bumped into it-"

"Please tell me that's not..." Angel moved to get a closer look and sighed. "That vase is..._was_ from 18th century China." He closed his eyes and leaned over to whisper to Buffy. "What was that you said earlier? About where you are going from here?" he said, trying to remain calm. He had really liked that vase.

Buffy smiled sympathetically, her mind still on their near-kiss. "Soon. I promise."

Dawn smiled contentedly as she and Connor lugged their shopping bags to a bench in the mall. "I feel much better now," she said. "Your dad is so awesome. Giving Buffy that money..."

"Yeah, that was pretty nice," Connor said, not quite ready to call his father 'awesome' just yet.

"Connor, just think about it! We have all new stuff. We can go wherever we want and find a nice place to live. This is going to be another new beginning for us!" she said excitedly.

"I know baby," he said, kissing her. "Well, it's almost time to meet everyone. Here's the drug store, we need to get some stuff there."

Dawn smiled, an idea coming to her. "Yeah...you know what? I'll meet you there. I just have to make one more stop." She picked up her bags.

"I can come," Connor offered.

"No. It's a surprise. I won't be long, just get started in the drug store and I'll meet you." She gave him a quick peck before running off.

Connor smiled after her, wondering what the surprise could be.

Dawn was grinning as she hurried down the mall, back to the store that had caught her eye earlier. She knew that it might be a while before she and Connor got some alone time, but she wanted to be ready when they did. Still smiling, she entered Victoria's Secret.

Connor moved around the drug store, picking up the essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shampoo. He knew there was one other thing he had to get, but honestly, he was a little embarrassed. The store was pretty crowded, and he had spotted some of the potentials in here. What if one of them saw him buying condoms?

He finally decided to just go for it. He hurried down the aisle and grabbed the first box he saw, looking furtively around to make sure no one had seen him.

"You do realize that the cashier is going to see those, don't you?" came a voice from behind him. He jumped a mile, and spun around to see Dawn grinning back at him.

"Don't do that," he said quietly.

Dawn laughed. "Sorry. I saw how nervous you looked and I just couldn't help myself."

"Don't you have stuff to buy?" Connor said.

"Yeah. Meet you outside?" she said, giving him a kiss.

"Okay," he said. "Wait! Aren't you going to come check out with me?" He looked down at the box in his hand and back at her.

She laughed. "Sorry, you're on your own." Then she sauntered down the aisle, leaving him to chuckle and shake his head.

"So, was it that bad?" Dawn asked him teasingly as they boarded the Sunnydale High School bus outside the mall a little later.

"No. The cashier didn't say anything," Connor said, feeling quite silly for how he had acted before.

"See? It's not like you're the first guy to ever buy condoms in there," Dawn whispered.

They had taken their same seat at the back of the bus. Buffy was the last to board, carrying her own shopping bags and nodding to Giles to start driving. She made her way to the back of the bus as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"So how did you do?" Buffy asked, taking the seat across from them.

"Excellent. Great sales," Dawn commented.

Buffy nodded. "I have to show you something." She rummaged through her bag, finally pulling out...a book. An English to Italian dictionary to be exact.

"Well I have to say, not exactly what I expected. Boots, maybe. Cute bag, maybe. A book? Never," Dawn teased.

Buffy gave her a Look. "But this is going to be the key to our new future."

"You want to move to Italy?" Connor questioned.

Buffy smiled. "I don't know. I've always wanted to go there. And in a big city like Rome there are bound to be lots of new slayers."

Dawn considered the idea. "Rome...it does sound pretty exciting. Cept for the fact that none of us speaks a word of Italian."

"Hence the bookage," Buffy explained. "How hard can it be? Guys, I want a fresh start. For the first time in my life I have the chance to do pretty much whatever I want. And I don't want to waste it. If we are going to move, I say we don't do it halfway. We deserve to go somewhere beautiful and exotic like Rome. Settle down, visit all the cheesy tourist traps. And train slayers to boot. So what do you say?"

Dawn looked at Connor. "I say you make it sound pretty good. Hey, maybe you could get a job as a travel agent!"

Buffy laughed. "Well I'm glad you're in. Connor, what about you?"

He squeezed Dawn's hand. "Wherever Dawn is is where I want to be."

"Aww," Dawn said, leaning over to give him a kiss.

Buffy couldn't help but smile at the very romantic if a little cheesy comment. Her thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to the near-kiss between herself and Angel this morning...She shook the thoughts from her head. "You can't go there," she hissed to herself.

"Buffy? Did you say something?" Dawn said, breaking away from the kiss.

She forced herself to smile. "No."

"So I guess what I am trying to say is that everyone gets to make a choice. Again," Buffy said with a wry smile. Everyone laughed. It had been proven that Buffy's motivational speeches weren't confined to Sunnydale.

"Anyone that wants to come to Rome with Dawn, Connor, and I is welcome. If you want to go home? I suppose you can. But we have to know where to reach you in case of emergency. You girls are trained, and you proved that yesterday. But now there are more girls out there that are just like you, and they need our help," she concluded. "So I guess we can stay here for a couple more days until everyone figures out where they're going. Then it's a new beginning."

Dawn and Connor stood off to the side as all of the slayers looked at each other, probably all trying to figure out where they were going now. She noticed a sad look on Xander's face. He was probably sad that they seemed to be preparing to split up, especially after the death of Anya less than 48 hours ago. She made a mental note to herself to talk to Buffy about inviting Xander personally to join them in Rome.

"So, Rome huh," Angel said, approaching the couple as the little meeting started to dissipate.

"Yeah," Dawn said. "It's exciting. A little nerve-wracking, but exciting."

"For what it's worth, I'll miss you. All three of you," Angel said quietly, his gaze focused on Buffy, who was talking to Giles across the lobby. He peeled his eyes away and tried to focus on his son. "But you know that you're always welcome here."

"I know," Connor replied.

Angel nodded at him. There was a brief awkward silence.

"Well I'm going to go up to my room and admire all my new stuff," Dawn said with a laugh, breaking the silence.

Angel smiled at her. "That's good."

Dawn looked at Connor, wanting to say something about him coming up to her room with her, but Angel's comment earlier that day about 'sleeping well' repeated in her brain and she decided against it. "I'll see you later," she said, squeezing his hand before picking up her shopping bags.

Connor watched her go with a smile on his face. "So, everything's good with you and Dawn," Angel said, attempting to make conversation.

Connor looked at him suspiciously. "Of course it is. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just nice to see you so happy," Angel said sincerely.

"We are. Happy," he said awkwardly.

"That's all I want," Angel replied simply. "That's all I've ever wanted, was for you to be happy."

"I know," Connor said, starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

Angel nodded. "Well, good night. Let me know if you need anything." He turned and walked back to his office.

Connor stood there, looking around at everyone. Months ago, when he had moved to Sunnydale with Dawn, he had thought that would be a fresh start. In some ways it had been, but in others they had just been swept into a whirlwind of evil and chaos. Hopefully things would really be changing for the better now. "Rome, here we come," he said under his breath.

TBC...PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3: Bon Voyage

A/N: Here it is, chapter 3. Many thanks to everyone that reviewed chapter 2: Kitty, Fred, Gigi13, pumpkinbelly, freezyboncoolipants, and cherrygurl1225. I really appreciate your comments and support for the story.

This chapter is dedicated to the little AOL translator thing...keep in mind that I don't speak Italian. Also I have never been on an airplane so sorry if I glazed over the more technical parts. Hope you like this chapter, turned out to be long. Please review again, I need job suggestions for Connor! :-D

Chapter 3: Bon Voyage

Four days later

"_Now boarding flight 109 to Houston, flight 109 to Houston_."

"I guess this is it," Dawn said nervously, holding Connor's hand tightly. They were all standing in the airport waiting area, waiting to board their various flights.

Willow shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I just can't believe it's over. No more Sunnydale. God I'm going to miss you guys!" she cried.

Kennedy gave her a sympathetic smile. "Stay strong. It's not like you'll never see each other again."

"Definitely. We are all going to stay very close," Buffy said strongly. "We're still the Scooby Gang."

Xander smiled at the mention of the familiar nickname. "We have to. But this is also a new chance for us. And this time I am flying, not driving, so I can't end up in any Ladies' Night Club," he said with a shudder.

Buffy suppressed a giggle. She had never found out that whole story...

"We are all going to need to stay in constant contact. We are all going to be doing our part in training the new slayers," Giles reminded them.

_"Now boarding flight 110 to New York, flight 110 to New York." _

"That's us," Faith said, helping Robin to his feet. He was doing much better, but still moving a little slow due to the stab wound he had suffered.

"Bye. Thank you. For everything." Buffy said. She moved to hug her fellow slayer, but Faith took a step back, hands raised.

"Don't you remember B? I don't hug," Faith said with a smile.

Buffy smiled back, nodding with understanding. "Well take care of yourself, okay? You too Robin."

He smiled wryly. "Going back home. Strangely, I'm a little excited."

_"Final boarding call for flight 110 to New York."_

"We'd better go." Faith turned to Angel, who was standing slightly off to the side with the rest of the LA gang. "I'll see ya Angel."

"Goodbye Faith," Angel said.

They turned and started to head toward the gate. At the last minute Faith turned around, looking at Dawn and Connor. "Good luck to the two of you," she said suddenly.

Dawn looked at her in surprise. "Thanks. You too." When Faith had come to Sunnydale only weeks ago she had practically loathed her. But that night in the Bronze had changed things between them.

With one last wave Faith and Principal Wood handed in their tickets and went through the door to board the plane.

Everyone stood there in silence for a moment, looking around at each other sadly.

"Hey, why the long faces? We're free, and we're off to take on the world," Xander half-joked.

When Dawn had suggested it, Buffy had invited Xander to join them in Rome. However he had turned them down. He said that he needed some time alone to "find himself." Dawn could tell that he was still struggling to deal with Anya's death, and figured that maybe a fresh start and some time to think would be the best thing for him right now. He had decided to head to Africa, and round up the new slayers there. Willow and Kennedy had chosen to go to Brazil. Kennedy had gone there on vacation back when she was a rich kid and she said it was beautiful there. Giles, Andrew, and most of the girls were headed back to England to set up a headquarters of sorts.

"I know. It's just...so weird. We've been together now for seven years, I can't believe it's over," Buffy said.

"It's not over. It has only just begun," Andrew said dramatically. Everyone ignored him as usual.

_"Now boarding flight 112 to London, flight 112 to London." _

"That's our flight," Giles said, picking up his bag. "Come along girls. Andrew."

"Now that my time here has ended, I want to say how much it means to fight evil with all of you, and I promise to continue down this humble road-"

"Goodbye Andrew," Buffy said pointedly.

"Yeah. Bye then." He hurried over to the gate.

Giles hugged Buffy tightly. "You know that I'm always available if you need me."

"I know," she replied.

The rest of the gang took turns hugging Giles and saying their goodbyes to the girls formerly known as potentials. Giles shook hands with Wesley and the rest of the LA gang before turning to Angel. "Thank you. For your hospitality."

"It was a pleasure," he replied sincerely.

With one last nod Giles followed the others to the gate before disappearing behind the door.

"This is like deja vu," Willow commented. "He must really be racking up those frequent flyer miles, with all the times he's left and come back."

"Except this time, no crappy convenience store goodbye gifts," Dawn added, remembering that day.

_"Now boarding flight 114 to Rome, with layover in New York. Flight 114 to Rome." _

"That's us," Buffy said. She turned to Dawn and Connor. "Are you ready?"

"I think so," Dawn said, hugging Willow, Kennedy, and Xander. "I'm going to miss you guys!"

"Take care of yourself, please," Cordelia said, giving Connor a quick hug.

"I will," he said. He turned awkwardly to his father. "Thanks. Dad."

Angel fell still at Connor calling him that. "Thank you. And good luck. Be happy."

Connor nodded, still looking at his father. It was strange, but in that moment he felt like they came to some kind of understanding. Breaking himself away, he reached out for Dawn's hand when she finished hugging Cordy and Fred. "Ready?"

"Yes," Dawn said, taking his hand. She picked up her bag. "Bye everyone. We'll miss you!"

"Bye Dawnie," Willow said quietly, tears in her eyes as she and Xander said goodbye to Buffy.

"Let's go," Dawn said. They started to walk towards the door to board.

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute," Buffy said.

Dawn nodded, understanding.

Buffy slowly turned to Angel. Everyone else sort of moved away without needing to be told. "I can thank you enough for everything you've done for us. Welcoming us to your home, giving us that money..."

He reached out and gently touched her lips. "Please. I would do anything for you."

Buffy closed her eyes at the feeling of his touch. "You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now."

He cupped her face in his hands. "It's mutual." After staring at her for a moment he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Fly safe."

Buffy couldn't move, just frozen there in time with her Angel, so close to her, touching her. She opened her mouth to speak but decided against it. She faintly heard the final boarding call for her flight, somewhere outside this little private world they were inside. Finally she backed away slightly, taking his hand and squeezing it. With a wordless smile and tears glistening in her eyes she slowly turned away. She mouthed a quiet goodbye to everyone before picking up her bags and hurrying away to the gate.

She gave the flight attendant a shaky smile as she pushed her way through the aisle. Dawn and Connor were already in their seats. There was one empty one by the window. "We saved you the window seat," Dawn said.

Buffy nodded, placing her carry-on in the overhead rack and stepping around them to her seat. "Thanks." She turned away and stared out the window, hoping that Dawn wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. But it was too late. Dawn touched her arm.

"Buffy? Are you okay," Dawn said sadly.

She nodded, frantically wiping at her eyes. "I'll be fine once we get there." _As soon as he's not close enough to feel anymore._

Angel stood there in the lobby of the airport, leaning silently against a pillar. They had said goodbye so many times, but each time it seemed to get harder.

Xander hugged Willow goodbye as they both prepared to board their respective flights. He picked up his bags and started to head for the gate when Cordelia called out to him. "Xander, wait," she called, walking over.

He turned around, perplexed. "You want a souvenir from Africa? Because I can arrange that."

"No, it's not that." She looked down for a minute, choosing her words carefully. "I hope that we see each other again someday soon."

He stared at her, realizing that he wished the same thing. "I'm sure we will," he said, managing a small smile. Without waiting for her to reply, he walked away.

By the time Cordelia turned around and made her way back to the group, Willow and Kennedy had left as well. "Are we ready to go?" she asked, speaking more quietly than usual.

"Yes," Angel said, glancing one more time at the door that the love of his life and his son had disappeared through only a few minutes ago. "I'm ready."

The three of them sat in silence for several minutes as the plane took off. No one spoke until they were flying peacefully in the air, thousands of feet above ground. "So what's the plan once we get there?" Connor asked. It was going to be a long flight already, and it would be better if they were all talking.

"What time is it going to be when we get there? We land in New York at 7:45...but wait is that their time?" Dawn asked, confused.

"That's their time. But they are three hours ahead of us, so it will feel like it's only 4:45," Buffy said. "And then we have an hour and a half layover, so we take off again at 9:20, but it will feel like 6:20. Then the flight to Rome is 8 and a half hours long, so we will get there at 11:40 am tomorrow their time, but they are 9 hours ahead of us so it will feel like 2:40 in the morning for us, California time."

Dawn and Connor stared at her openmouthed. "Wha...how did you..." Dawn stammered.

"I've been brushing up on my math skills since the apocalypse," Buffy said seriously. Then she cracked a smile. "Okay, Willow explained it to me before we left the hotel."

Dawn laughed. "I was gonna say..."

"So bottom line is that we are going to be on airplanes for the next day," Connor concluded in dismay. It was his first time flying. He was very thankful that he had the aisle seat, safe from the view of the long way down...

"Do you have flying jitters?" Dawn asked incredulously.

"No, of course not. It's just weird. They didn't exactly have airplanes where I grew up," he reminded her.

"Sorry, I forgot that you still aren't exactly down with the modern technology," Dawn said, remembering one incident involving the tv and the Style Network.

"But you are teaching me," he said simply.

"Well even I might not be so hip and modern once we get to Italy," Dawn said, taking the book that Buffy had bought at the mall out of her bag. "Remember, none of us exactly speaks Italian."

"But isn't going to a foreign country the easiest way to learn?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"Well, yeah. But a few basics might help," Dawn said, opening the book. "Okay, ready for Italian 101?"

"Ciao!" Buffy said. "That means 'yes', right?"

Dawn bit her lip. "Actually it means hello." They all burst out laughing.

"Well how do you say 'yes' then?" Buffy asked, once they had calmed down.

"Si," Dawn said. "That seems simple enough. And 'no' is....'no.'"

"Okay, hello, yes, no, what else do we need to know? Oh, oh, where is the food?" Buffy said excitedly. "We're going to be hungry when we get there."

Dawn flipped the pages. "Dove è l'alimento," Dawn said, sounding it out as best she could.

"Si?" Connor said. They all started laughing again, causing some of the other passengers to give them strange looks.

"Okay, okay," Dawn said, calming down. "Okay, we need to concentrate. What are some other phrases you think we need to know?"

"How about 'how much'? We need to be able to shop," Buffy insisted.

"How much is...quanto. That's pretty easy. Oh, here's an important one. 'Do you speak English?'" Dawn said. "That is...parlate inglese."

"Hopefully the answer to that is Si," Buffy croaked. They all burst out laughing again.

"How about shut up? There's one for you to look up," the man sitting in front of them said rudely, turned around in his seat.

Buffy gaped at him. "Well excuse us for living. We can't help it if we're excited," she said defensively.

"Chiuda in su," Dawn said triumphantly, reading from the book. "Sir, I just told YOU to shut up. In Italian." The man huffed and turned back around.

"Go Dawnie!" Buffy said, impressed. "I think that will make him leave us alone."

"Leave us alone: lascili soli," Dawn read. "That's good to know. In case we meet any Italian stalker types."

"Oh! We are probably going to need to stay in a hotel when we first get there, so look up hotel stuff," Buffy suggested.

"Okay....room service: servizio di stanza," Dawn said. "Hey, Italian's kind of cool."

"Hopefully the people at the hotel will speak English," Connor commented.

Dawn thought of something all of a sudden. "Buffy, am I going to have to go to school there?"

"Of course! But it'll be cool, spending your senior year in Rome," Buffy encouraged.

"What's Connor going to do while I go to school?" Dawn complained.

Buffy looked at him, thinking. "Well I suppose he could get a job."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "I've never had a real job before."

"You mean, a _lavoro_," Dawn corrected. "And I think that's a great idea. You could meet some people, make some money."

"But what could I do? I've never been to school. I don't even know what I'm good at," he said.

_I can think of a few things you're good at_, Dawn thought with a smile.

"I'm sure there are lots of things you could do. Hey, you're super strong. You could like unpack boxes or something," Buffy suggested.

"Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed. "Connor could do a lot better than that." She took his hand protectively.

"No, she does have a point. I don't really know much about business or anything," Connor said.

"But you know other things. Things that count," Dawn said, smiling at him.

"Okay, I definitely don't want to know what you just meant by that," Buffy said, turning back around in her seat. The whole thought of Dawn and Connor being...intimately involved was still a little weird. And she was sure that once they all moved into the same apartment things were only going to get _more _awkward.

"Buffy, get your mind out of the gutter," Dawn said with a giggle. "Wow, this is weird. We leave LA all somber and now we're really hyper."

"I guess it's just the excitement," Buffy said with a smile. Her mind drifted back to Angel, and she shook her head to clear the thoughts. _Think positive,_ she told herself forcefully. _You'll be able to relax once we get there._

"Okay, we have an hour and a half until we get on the next plane," Buffy said, as the three of them stood in the lobby of JFK International Airport in New York City. "I vote we get some real food. It's dinnertime. Well, feels like," Buffy said with a frown.

Dawn glanced at the clock. 7:50. "This time difference stuff is a pain in the ass," she complained. "And that airplane food tasted like expired cardboard."

"There's a Pizza Hut over there," Connor pointed out.

Dawn's eyes instantly brightened. "Yes, please!"

"Here, go get whatever you want. And get me something too. I'm going to the bathroom," Buffy said, handing Dawn a twenty.

"Okay. We better get in line," Dawn said. The line circled around three times. "By the time we get our food we'll be back on the plane!" They joined the long queue.

Connor slipped his arm around her waist. "I've never seen this many people in one place before."

"We're in New York. It's always crowded here," Dawn sighed, leaning against him. "Too bad we don't have time to go shopping."

Connor silently thanked his lucky stars that he didn't have to endure yet more shopping. He looked at his girlfriend. "You look tired," he commented.

She yawned. "It's been a long few days."

"It has," he agreed. "You can sleep on the plane."

"Hopefully." She turned around so she could look at him. "I wonder how long before we get some alone time again..." She ran her fingers up and down his chest.

"Too long," he said with a smile. He kissed her softly.

"Hey, move it along!" came an angry voice from behind them. They looked up and realized that the line had moved considerably.

"Sorry," Dawn said, as they scurried forward.

A few hours later, Connor sat on the quiet plane, smiling. Dawn was curled up in her seat, sound asleep. Next to her, Buffy was staring out the window in silence. At first Connor had thought she was asleep as well, but he had realized that she just appeared to be deep in thought, and he hadn't disturbed her.

Dawn moaned slightly, moving around, attempting to find a more comfortable position. Connor reached out and put an arm around her shoulders. "Here, baby. Relax," he said. A smile formed on her lips as she leaned into him.

Soon the pattern of her breathing changed, indicating that she was asleep again. She subconsciously moved closer to Connor, her head resting on his shoulder. He delicately relaxed his own head on top of hers. Right now there was nowhere in the world he would rather be.

The sun was shining brightly as they exited the threesome trudged tiredly into the first hotel they had seen in Rome since leaving the airport. Even though it was late morning in Italy, their bodies were telling them it was three AM.

They approached the front desk, where a woman sat. She smiled brightly at them. "Ciao. Benvenuto all'hotel Roma. Come posso aiutarlo?"

The three of them stared blankly at her. All they had understood was 'ciao,' 'hotel,' and 'Roma.'

Dawn opened the dictionary. "Parlate inglese?" she asked hopefully.

The woman's smile didn't break as she switched seamlessly from Italian to English. "Yes. Would you like a room?"

Buffy sighed with relief. "Yes, please."

"Cash or credit card?" she said slowly, with a thick accent.

"Cash," Buffy said.

"How many nights?" the receptionist asked, punching keys on the computer.

Buffy glanced at Dawn and Connor. "Um, we'll take three for now." She hoped that it wouldn't take too long for them to find a more permanent residence.

They finished the transaction and she handed Buffy a room key. "Room four twelve. Thank you."

"Thank you," Buffy said with a smile. They all lugged their bags over to the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. "Right now I want to sleep for about a week."

"I won't argue with that," Dawn said, yawning loudly.

The elevator stopped and they walked down the hall to their room. Buffy opened the door and they entered, dropping their bags on the floor. "Okay. I say we all get some rest, and then later we can go out to eat. Tomorrow we can start looking for an apartment." She rummaged in her suitcase, pulling out pajamas and a toiletry case. She started to head for the bathroom when Dawn stopped her.

"Uh, Buffy? Can Connor and I...can we share a bed?" Dawn asked nervously, glancing at the two double beds.

Buffy frowned tiredly. She hadn't slept in over 24 hours, her internal clock was all screwed up, and the last thing she wanted to stress about was sleeping arrangements for herself, her 16 year old sister, and her boyfriend. "Sure, whatever. But no monkey business!" She trudged into the bathroom and closed the door.

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "That was easier than expected."

Connor smiled. "Not like we can actually _do_ anything, but it's a step in the right direction." He kissed her shoulder.

"Just our luck, she's probably so sleep deprived that she didn't even realize what she said," Dawn commented, rummaging in her own bag.

Buffy emerged from the bathroom, dressed in pajamas. Connor went in next. Buffy sighed and crawled into one of the beds.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked, her back turned to her sister as she changed. "You were kind of quiet on the flight."

"Yeah, I just needed to think," Buffy replied.

Dawn nodded, pretty sure of what her sister had been thinking about. "Well, just remember, that this is a fresh start. For all of us."

Buffy smiled, her eyes already closed. "I know. Night."

"Good night," Dawn said, climbing into the other bed, clad in a tank top and shorts.

Connor came out of the bathroom, a little surprised to see both girls already in bed. He went over and slipped into the bed next to Dawn, sliding his arm around her to pull her close. "I love you."

"Love you too," Dawn said happily, relaxing into his arms. Before long all three were sound asleep.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4: The Apartment

A/N: So sorry for the delay. I have been writing a lot, just other stuff, Serena Chronicles, The Underpass, and a chapter for my guild's round robin. That has some great D/C stuff, you guys would like it, check out my fave stories, it's called Love and War in London. But I have a nice long chapter for you here. This one is cute and fun, I think everyone will enjoy it. Thanks to Kitty for pointing out that Dawn would probably catch onto the Italian fast, I am going to use that. And again, I don't speak Italian, all of it is from the handy AOL translator. I have no idea how correct it is, lol. At the bottom of the chapter I have some requests for your reviews...lol I would like everyone's input on a few things. Okay, now get to it! Enjoy!

Dedication: This one is for everyone who has reviewed so far: Sanity Fair, Broken-Sunrise, Fred, Gigi13, pumpkinbelly, freezyboncoolipants, cherrygurl1225, waynej, and daybreak and destructo boy. Also thanks to DawnConnor from the BET forum for her kind words and support. Your reviews mean so much to me!

Chapter 4: The Apartment

Connor rolled over and glanced at the clock on the bedside, translating from the European format to the one he was used to. 7:15. They had slept for almost eight hours.

He glanced down at Dawn, who was still sound asleep. She looked so beautiful, her hair spread out on the pillow, and her eyes lightly shut. The hotel's blanket covered her up to her shoulders, which were peeking out a little, clad only with the thin strap of her tank top. His mind wandered back to the last time they had shared a bed...hopefully they would be able to be really together again soon.

He heard a noise from the other side of the room, and looked up to see Buffy sitting up groggily. She glanced over and smiled slightly, seeing that she wasn't the only one awake. "Much better," she said, sounding refreshed and pleased. She too glanced at the clock before looking back at Connor. "Why don't you wake Dawn up. We can go get something to eat." She stood up, stretching slowly. "I'm going to take a shower." He nodded as she gathered her things and headed into the bathroom.

He debated the best method of waking his love from her sleep, finally deciding on kissing her exposed shoulder lightly, moving up to her neck. "Mmmmm," she moaned, beginning to stir. A slow smile spread across her features as she became aware of what he was doing. "Morning."

"Actually, it's night," he said, now intently kissing her earlobe.

She grinned widely at him. "Is that the shower I hear running?" The water had just been turned on.

"Mmhmm," he said, stroking her hair.

"So does that mean we're alone for a few minutes?" Dawn said suggestively, pulling him on top of her.

Connor smiled. "I suppose we are...you sure you're not too tired? You know, jet lag and all," he teased.

"I'm suddenly _very_ awake," she mumbled, kissing him. He had his hand up her shirt when suddenly the door to the bathroom opened. A towel-clad Buffy cleared her throat.

"I thought I said no monkey business!" she said sternly, giving them a look.

Connor quickly moved off of her. "Sorry."

Buffy glanced at Dawn with a playful seriousness before closing the bathroom door again.

Dawn sighed, readjusting her tank top. "So much for that."

Connor sat back in the bed. "I'm sorry. It's probably better that we wait anyway, we wouldn't have had much time, and I want our next time together to be special."

Dawn smiled a little. "I just have to wonder how long we are going to have to wait! With my sister the underage sex patrol on the prowl..."

Connor laughed. "Don't worry. Soon we'll move into an apartment, look for jobs, get you enrolled in school...it's going to be a whole new life."

Dawn took his hand. "That all sounds great. But right now, all I want is some Italian food."

Connor laughed. "Why don't you get ready and as soon as Buffy gets out of the shower we'll go get some food."

Dawn climbed out of bed and went over to her suitcase. She spotted her Victoria's Secret bag hidden at the bottom and a slow smile spread across her face. Their next time together would _definitely_ be memorable.

> > > > > > > >

The next morning they sat down in the hotel restaurant, the local newspaper spread out in front of them to the real estate listings. Buffy took a bite of her bagel with one hand while holding the dictionary in the other. "I think this one has a hot tub!" she frowned. "Wait, maybe that's running water."

Dawn leaned over to look. "Actually, neither. I'm pretty sure that says it has a working bathroom. Sounds glamorous."

Buffy sighed. "This is really hard. Why don't we just try and narrow it down to a few and then arrange times to look at them."

"Well this one's nearby," Dawn said, recognizing the street name from their walk to get dinner last night. "And this area is pretty nice. We also need one with two bedrooms, that narrows it down a lot." She quickly scanned the listings over again, circling four in red pen. "Let's start with these."

Buffy looked at her in amazement. "You're catching on really fast, to Italian."

Dawn shrugged modestly. "After having to read books written in ancient demon languages this is nothing."

Connor beamed at her. "That's my girl." She smiled back.

They finished their breakfast and stood up, gathering their stuff. "Well I'll call these numbers from the room, make an appointment for a tour," Buffy said. She frowned. "Or maybe Dawn can. We don't know if these people speak English."

> > > > > > > >

Two hours later they stood outside the first building. The agent who had agreed to show them the apartment was already ten minutes late. That couldn't be a good sign.

Dawn sighed. "And we thought Americans weren't punctual."

"Here she comes," Connor said, as a black car with the words "Realty di ComoditB" written on the side. A tall woman dressed in a black pantsuit climbed out, carrying a briefcase. "Ciao. Sono il pij spiacente mantenerli attendere. Continueremo?"

Dawn listened carefully. She had caught most of that but she still decided it would be better if the woman could speak English. "Parlate Inglese?" she asked hopefully.

The woman shook her head. "Spiacente, parlo soltanto italiano."

Dawn nodded, a little disappointed. She would think that most good real estate agents would speak a few languages, with the amount of foreigners that moved to Europe all the time. That combined with the woman's lateness gave her a bad feeling about the apartment. She slowly stated the phrase she had prepared this morning. "Approvazione. Vorremmo ora vedere l'appartamento."

The woman nodded politely, leading them inside the building. To Dawn's slight surprise it appeared pretty nice. The hallways were painted a fresh pale yellow and the lighting was good. Maybe her assumption had been wrong.

She opened the door to the second apartment they passed, holding it open for them to enter. "Cib P uno spazio fine, due camere da letto, un bagno, vista piacevole della cittB, vicinanza piacevole. Prezzo eccellente per la qualitB."

Dawn blinked. The woman spoke so fast that she had only been able to catch a few words. Buffy looked at her expectantly, waiting for a translation. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Guess we'll just have to see for ourselves." They entered the apartment, which looked pretty spacious. The bathroom was just to the left of the doorway, and a decent sized living room complete with furniture was just ahead. Off of the living room were two small bedrooms.

Connor looked at Buffy and Dawn. "Not bad."

Buffy frowned slightly. "I don't know. It almost seems...too perfect. I mean, this is the first one we've seen."

He shrugged. "Maybe we just got lucky."

Buffy nodded, still a little suspicious. She walked slowly through the living room, stopping to examine the couch. She noticed that it wasn't pushed all the way against the wall. She peered behind it, her eyes widening when she saw two baited mousetraps. She turned to the realtor, flipping through the dictionary. "E ci un problema del roditore?" she asked suspiciously.

The realtor shifted a little at the mention of rodents. "OH no. tutte le precauzioni Italiane dell'introito degli appartamenti," she said quickly. She hurried to the bathroom doorway. "Avete visto la stanza da bagno bella? Molto moderno."

Dawn and Connor watched as Buffy entered the bathroom at the woman's request. She looked around. It did appear pretty nice. She was about to go check out the other rooms when her slayer ears picked up a slight noise. Something...dripping?

She turned around, heading over to the sink. She leaned in, looking for the source of the noise. She spotted a tiny wet spot on the floor, the dumping point for the leak she had heard. The water appeared...funny. She stood up, carefully turning one of the water knobs. She jumped back when a small spray of brown water squirted out. Dawn and Connor, who had been watching from the doorway, turned to the realtor, eyebrows raised.

Buffy turned around. "Sorry lady. We want something much better than this. Nice try though, the sales pitch _sounded_ very suave, even if I didn't understand a word of it." She looked at Dawn and Connor. "Come on. Let's get out of here." The three of them headed for the door, the woman shouting after them in Italian.

"Attesa! Ritornato prego! Posso offrirlo molto!" she cried desperately.

"Whatever," Buffy mumbled as they left the building.

> > > > > >

A few hours later the three of them sat on the curb outside the fourth and final apartment building. The last two apartments had been a bust as well. The second had been a nice space, but it was clear from the sights that they passed on the way that it was located in the bad part of town. And Dawn had sworn that she had heard something growling in the apartment next door. From there they had moved on to the third apartment. It had been perfect, absolutely gorgeous. There was a fireplace, a brand new shower, lots of windows. Buffy and Dawn had instantly fallen in love with it. Connor had excitedly asked the male realtor, who even spoke English, for a price. He had smiled and responded with a figure that had made all three of their jaws drop. The money that Angel had given them would barely cover the first months rent. They had left very disappointed.

"Looks like we might be in that hotel for longer than we'd thought," Buffy said sadly. This last apartment was only a few blocks from their current residence.

Connor looked at her. "Hey, we can't give up. We just haven't had our lucky break yet. Dawn, remember how many apartments we looked at in Sunnydale before we found the right one for me?"

She smiled, remembering that day distinctly. "Yes. At least none of these have still had crime scene tape up. But we lucked out. Remember, we stumbled upon that house by accident on the way home."

Connor nodded, remembering the good times he and Dawn had shared in that apartment. "I wonder how Mr. and Mrs. Brady are doing. They were nice people."

"They're probably just living a new life somewhere else, like most former residents of Sunnydale," Dawn said.

Buffy looked up. "Looks like the realtor's here. May as well get this over with." She stood up slowly.

This one was a short, plump woman with a kind face. "Ciao! Come fate?"

Dawn smiled. "Parlate Inglese?"

The woman smiled back. "Yes. Americans, I see. Welcome to our beautiful country. Shall we proceed?" she spoke slowly and with a thick accent, but they could still understand her.

She lead them inside the two story building, climbing an old-fashioned set of stairs to the second floor. "This is a lovely neighborhood. This apartment was just vacated a few days ago." She opened the door, allowing them to step inside. "It's a beautiful space. It's in need of a few improvements, I won't lie, but it really is charming."

They entered the living room, trying to remain optimistic. She was right, the place could use a good coat of paint and a lot more furniture, but it was a nice space. The living room took up most of the apartment, a couch and a matching chair being the only furnishings besides the wooden coffee table and empty entertainment set. On the opposite wall was a beautiful bay window that looked out over the street. Near the wall next to the door was a little kitchen nook, containing a nice counter and an old fashioned stove and sink. "It has a dishwasher too, and everything is perfectly functional," the woman said brightly. A ceiling fan hung over the living room.

The four of them entered the first bedroom off of the living room. It was small, with no windows and only a bed and dresser for furniture. But there was something about it that seemed almost cozy. There was a door connecting it to the second, identical bedroom. "There is a closet in the hall," the woman added. "And here is the bathroom, almost brand new." She opened the next door, revealing a nice, clean looking, even shiny bathroom, with a toilet, mirror, sink, and shower stall. Buffy immediately strode over to the sink and turned on the water. What came out was perfectly clear. She turned around to look at the others. "This is nice. We'd have a little work to do, but I like it. What do you guys think?"

Connor glanced at Dawn. "I agree. I think that with the right touches, it could be perfect. And we're already familiar with the neighborhood."

"Decorating could be fun," Dawn said, her excitement growing.

Buffy nodded, reentering the living room and taking one last look around. The realtor looked pleased. "I am glad you find it appropriate. I can make you a nice offer."

The three of them shared a smile. "Maybe today wasn't such a bust after all," Buffy said. "Now let's talk rent."

> > > > > > > > > >

Three days later

"Finally, no more trips to make," Connor said, panting as he set down the last of their suitcases inside the apartment. "Looks like you guys are making progress."

"You're just in time, we're almost ready to start painting," Dawn said, as she and Buffy draped plastic over the couch.

They had made a deal on the apartment, and were thrilled when the landlord informed them they could move in in just a few days. Yesterday they had gone out and picked out paint for the apartment and all the supplies they would need to do it themselves. Now today was the big day, and Connor had just spent most of the morning carting their suitcases from the hotel three blocks away to the new apartment, while Buffy and Dawn had cleaned and gotten the place ready for renovations.

"Thanks for doing that Connor," Buffy said genuinely. "As nice as it was, I'm kind of glad to be out of that hotel. It wasn't...homey."

"But this will be, when we're done at least," Dawn said, linking her arm in his and giving him a kiss. "We're going to start painting in here first."

Connor looked wary. "Did I mention that I've never painted anything before?"

"Nah, it's a piece of cake," Buffy said, pouring some of the pale peach paint they had decided on after an hour of debating into the pan. "With these rollers, it can't be that hard."

Dawn smiled. "This should be interesting. Buffy's never painted anything either."

Buffy looked offended. "Hey, If I can save the world from ultimate evil I think I can manage to paint a living room." She picked up a roller and covered it with paint from the pan. She stared at Dawn and Connor, who were just standing there. "Aren't you going to help?"

Dawn giggled. "Why don't you demonstrate first."

Buffy scowled. "Fine. Watch and learn." She lifted the roller, placed it on the wall, and moved it up and down. She smiled triumphantly at the peach area now on the wall, which had previously been plain white and chipped. "See?"

"Okay," Dawn said, picking up the second roller. "Doesn't look too hard." She started on another wall while Buffy continued where she had started. "Connor, come help me!"

He smiled, joining his girlfriend. He lifted the roller and carefully rolled it over the wall. This wasn't too bad. They worked for a while in silence, until Dawn gasped loudly. Connor turned around to see what was wrong to see her standing there, a large drop of peach paint right on top of her head. She stared up at Connor, who was on the small step stool in order to reach the top of the wall. "Connor! You just dripped paint on my head!"

He stared at her openmouthed. "I didn't! I've barely gotten paint anywhere."

Playfully angry, Dawn picked up her own roller and thrust it towards him, paint spraying all over the front of his T-shirt.

"Hey!" Connor said, in disbelief. "What was that for?"

"You got paint on my head!" Dawn said with a laugh.

Buffy turned around to look at them, amused. "Let's try to keep the paint on the walls, okay?"

Connor gave Dawn a warning look. "_I_ was."

Dawn tried to hide a smile, going back to painting the wall. "Fine, fine. But if you get paint on me again, you will be sorry."

"I swear I didn't get paint on you!" Connor exclaimed.

"Whatever," Dawn said with a joking sigh. They all went on painting in silence for a few minutes...until chaos broke out.

Looking back none of them could really remember how it started, except that Dawn had somehow ended up with another drop of paint on her head. She had turned to Connor, an evil grin spreading across your face. "Oh, you're going to get it now!" With no warning she picked up the pan of paint and threw it on him. He stared down at himself, his entire body splashed with peach paint.

"Okay now that was uncalled for," Connor said.

"Yeah, come on Dawnie," Buffy said, trying to suppress a laugh at the sight of Angel's paint-covered son.

Dawn spun around flinging some paint at Buffy as well. She gasped. "Oh now you're gonna get it." Buffy picked a new paint brush off the floor and dipped it in the paint, swiping it at Dawn.

Dawn shrieked, picking up her roller and chasing Buffy around the room with it. She eventually caught her, putting a nice streak of paint all down her back. Dawn stopped to laugh and was shocked when she felt something cold on her neck. She turned around to see Connor grinning, his hands covered in paint. "Gotcha."

She ran back to the wall, picking up the paint brush Buffy had used against her and flung some in Connor's hair. By this point it was an all out paint war, with the three of them running around, splashing each other with paint, using anything that was handy as a "weapon."

Several minutes later they collapsed from laughter in the middle of the room. Thankfully they had covered everything with plastic before they had begun, because a lot of the paint had ended up not just on them, but everywhere in the room. The three of them were barely visible under all the paint. Buffy had gotten the least of it, with her slayer instincts helping to protect herself, but her T-shirt was pretty well covered and her jeans had caught some spatters as well. But for the most part, her hair and face were paint free. Which was more than could be said for Dawn. Her brown hair had paint smeared through it, and there were splotches on her face as well. Her clothes from head to toe were also soaked. Connor hadn't made out much better. His T-shirt looked like it was composed completely of peach paint, and he had some peach spots in his hair and on his jeans as well. "I can't believe we actually got into a paint fight," Buffy said, feeling very immature.

Dawn laughed. "But it was fun." She flicked a speck of paint from her fingers at Connor.

Connor looked down at himself. "We should change, look at the mess we made."

Dawn suddenly got an idea. "A shower might be in order." Her eyes met Connor's, and a silent message was exchanged between them.

Buffy stood up slowly, trying not to make the damage any worse. "Let me get a plastic bag to put our dirty clothes in, because the bathroom and bedrooms aren't covered."

Dawn and Connor stood up quickly. "Sure." They exchanged another sly smile.

Buffy turned around with a bag in her hands. "We can go change, but be careful-" before she could finish, Dawn had grabbed the bag out of her hands and she and Connor were dashing for the bathroom.

"Have to conserve water!" Dawn yelled happily, locking the door behind them.

Buffy stared at the closed door in shock. She had just been outsmarted by Connor and Dawn! She banged on the door. "You know I can break this down if I want."

"That might not be smart, we could already be naked," Dawn said innocently. "Chill out Buffy, we're just going to take a shower."

Buffy sighed. And to think that they hadn't even discussed the sleeping arrangements yet...

> > > > > >

Inside the bathroom, Dawn turned to Connor, smiling seductively. "I know it's not exactly our romantic evening, considering we are covered in paint and in a bathroom, but it can hold us over for a little while."

He grinned, reaching over to turn on the water. "This will do." The spray turned on, and he started to strip off his paint soaked clothes, tossing them into the bag with a plop. Dawn watched him with a smile before removing her own shirt and pants. She hesitated slightly before removing her underwear. Although they were no stranger to each other's bodies after their night together, she still felt slightly shy. "You're beautiful," he said, taking her hand and helping her into the shower, closing the sliding door behind them.

She immediately relaxed as the water flowed over them, washing the paint away along with her insecurities. She realized that they hadn't unpacked any of the shampoo yet. "Wanna wash my hair?" she asked, turning around.

He smiled, running his wet hands through her hair, watching the peach wash off. His hands eventually wandered down to her shoulders, massaging them gently. She smiled happily, completely relaxed. The hot shower quickly filled with steam, enveloping the young lovers. She turned around, her body pressed against his. She kissed him softly. "We should do this more often."

He laughed. "Definitely." She reached up to rinse some of the paint out of her boyfriend's hair.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Dawn asked softly, busily washing his hair. She moved so she was behind him.

"Sure," he said curiously.

She grinned. "I dripped the paint on my own head, and blamed you for it."

He turned to face her, openmouthed. "You started that whole fight on purpose!"

Dawn laughed. "Are you telling me you object?" she ran her hands down his back.

He smiled. "Definitely not. Come here," he said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.

> > > > > >

Buffy was still standing there, furious that Dawn and Connor had pulled that on her when a knock at the door interrupted her. Not remembering her current appearance of the disarray of the room she ran to it and opened it. "Oh, hi Mr. Tanner," she said.

Their landlord peered in at her. He was an older man, about sixty, short with gray hair and glasses. They had met him two days ago when they had signed the lease. "Hello Miss Summers." He looked her up and down, before glancing into the apartment and recoiling in shock. "I just wanted to make sure you got settled all right...I _did_ explain about the security deposit, correct?" he said worriedly.

Buffy smiled. "Don't worry, we'll clean it all up. We're just painting, remember, we discussed this."

He smiled warily. "Looks as if you got more paint on yourself than the walls."

She laughed slightly. "My sister kind of started a paint fight. But don't worry, you'll never know it happened."

He nodded. "Well I do like the color. I wanted to tell you that there is a working phone line, and a washer and drier in the basement."

She smiled. "Thank you. We'll let you know if we need anything."

He smiled. Mr. Tanner was also American. He had moved here from Maine ten years ago and bought the building. "Glad to hear it. Have fun," he said.

They exchanged goodbyes and Buffy closed the door. She looked down at herself, shaking her head. She heard giggles and splashing from the bathroom and winced.

She made her way over to the bay window, staring outside. She was starting to like the whole Italian atmosphere. So far everyone they had met had been very friendly, and the food was great.

She frowned as a distant, tinny noise reached her ears. Was that...she ran to her suitcase, rummaging around. There it was! She pulled out her cell phone, which she had almost forgotten she had. She froze slightly when she saw the name on the caller ID: Angel.

She answered the phone, swallowing. "Angel?"

"Buffy, hi," he said. "I'm sorry to be calling long distance, I just wanted to check in, see how you were. It's been almost a week."

She smiled a little. It was good to hear his voice. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I talked to Giles when we got in, I was going to wait until we got a phone before calling everyone."

"I just got anxious. So, you got a place?" he said.

"Yeah. It's a really nice apartment right in the city. We're painting today," she said, going back over to the window.

"That's great. Rome is a nice city. At least it was when I was there."

"Still is. We're having a good time so far."

"How are Dawn and Connor?"

Buffy thought of their current activity and sighed. "They're good. Dawn's catching on to Italian really fast. I guess it must be all the practice with demon languages."

"That's good. Are they..." there was a pause. "Do you think Connor wants to..."

"I'm sure he would, but they're kind of, um, otherwise engaged at the moment," Buffy said warily. "We sort of got into a little paint fight."

"A paint fight?" Buffy could almost hear him smirking.

"Dawn started it," she said. "But they're...washing off."

There was a brief silence. "Oh...okay." He spoke again a second later. "Is the money I gave you going to be enough? I know it's expensive, living and all..."

"It's plenty," Buffy said honestly. "We got a good deal on the apartment, and Connor and I are going to start looking for jobs. Doing what, we don't know. And we also need to get down to the real reason we came, to start finding the new slayers. But thank you, so much, we wouldn't have been able to start fresh like this without you."

"Anytime. You know I'd do anything for you," he said sincerely.

She smiled sadly. "I know."

"I...I miss you. I know, we had gotten used to being apart, but having you here...it was nice. Hard, but nice."

"Yes, it was," she whispered. She cleared her throat. "I should get going, we still have a lot of painting to do and then we need to go shopping, get some stuff to liven the place up a little. It was nice talking to you."

"You too. Call me if you need anything." There was a brief hesitation, as if he was debating over what to say. "Goodbye Buffy. Tell Dawn and Connor I said hi."

"I will. Bye Angel." She hung up the phone.

She slowly crossed the room to put the phone away again. She turned around, surveying the messy apartment. They definitely had a lot of work to do, and they hadn't exactly made their job any easier. _But this is good,_ she told herself. _It's...normal. _She smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she had thought of her life as normal. Still smiling she picked up the paint roller and continued working on the wall.

> > > > > > >

PLEASE REVIEW! I would like job suggestions for Connor and Buffy, as well as any ideas of anything you would like to see. Also, I would love to get an email review from anyone reading this at BET or Unnatural.


	5. Chapter 5: Slayers and Sleeping Arrangem...

Dedication: Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 4: Sanity Fair, Liayso, Celestia Nailo, freezyboncoolipants, IllyriaJem, Hellmouth2, daybreak+destructoboy, and blue-baby-babe. I was so happy to receive all of your wonderful reviews, especially those with job ideas for Connor and Buffy! Most of you seemed to agree that Connor needs something involving his strength, you will see from this chapter which exact idea I am using. Buffy I haven't exactly revealed yet, but you will see. I just want to mention one thing: a lot of you said they should work for Wolfram and Hart. In my series, Angel past season 4's Spin the Bottle never happened. So therefore Angel is not in charge of Wolfram and Hart. That was a good thought though.

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in releasing this chapter! Life has been busy. I promise to update more frequently. Here is another long chapter, I think you will like this one, had a little trouble getting it started but I like how it turned out. As always, please read and review.

> > > > >

Chapter 5: Slayers and Sleeping Arrangements

A few days later, the three of them sat around the apartment. It was a Saturday morning, and they were relaxing in their newly decorated apartment. After spending several hours, much to Connor's dismay, shopping for furniture, appliances, and extra touches, and then another day arranging everything, the place was starting to feel like a home. The pieces that Buffy and Dawn had selected gave the space a modern, contemporary vibe. They had used a lot of gold accents in the now peach room, sprucing up the existing furniture with little touches. Even Connor had to admit that it looked really good.

They had also fixed up the bedrooms. The bedrooms...a heated argument had ensued over them the previous night...

> > > > >

"Buffy, come on. Connor and I deserve to have our own room!" Dawn argued.

Buffy closed her eyes to try and remain calm. "Dawnie, you are sixteen-"

"Seventeen in a month!" Dawn shot back.

"You are _sixteen_ years old and I don't think it would be very appropriate for me to let you share a bed with your boyfriend!"

"Buffy, please! We are mature. Connor is an adult! I'm going to be starting my senior year. Besides, we've already slept together," Dawn argued.

"Dawn, what kind of guardian would I be if I just allowed you to have sex whenever you want? I have been extremely kind to you about the...status of your relationship with Connor. I am your older sister, and I am responsible for you."

"Buffy, we understand," Connor said, chiming in for the first time since the heated debate had begun. "We know that you only have Dawn's best interests at heart."

Dawn stared at him, open mouthed. "Whose side are you on here?"

"Baby, it's not worth arguing about. We'll still be living in the same apartment, we'll still have time together." Connor wanted to be able to freely be with Dawn more than anything, but as she had said he _was_ an adult, and he figured that he should be the bigger person. It was important to earn Buffy's respect so that she would completely trust him with her sister.

"No we won't! Not if she has anything to say about it." Dawn looked angrily at her sister. "Just because you don't have someone doesn't mean that you have the right to prevent us from being happy." Connor winced, knowing she had just crossed the line.

Buffy looked wounded. "Do you honestly think that? You really think that I don't want you to be happy? Dawnie that is ALL that I want. But I am your sister and I am responsible for you. Mom isn't here anymore, so someone needs to be in charge," she said tensely.

Dawn didn't reply this time. Connor placed an arm on her shoulder. "Baby, it's not worth it. Come on, let's go for a walk." He tried to pull her towards the door before she could do any more damage.

"You know, I was willing to give you a compromise. But if you're going to act like this maybe you don't deserve it," Buffy said, crossing her arms.

Dawn tried not to look curious, but was too defiant to break down. Connor spoke for her. "I'm sure we could agree to your compromise. Dawn just got carried away."

Buffy nodded. "I was going to say that yes, you could have your own room." Dawn's face instantly brightened. "Don't get too excited," Buffy said with a warning tone in her voice. "There have to be some rules. You must leave the door open except when you are changing. And you must remember that these walls are very thin and I am right in the next room over."

Dawn looked at Connor, and he nodded at her. "Okay, we'll take it," she said grudgingly. "At least we'll be able to snuggle."

"Thank you Buffy," Connor said.

She nodded. "Make sure you keep those rules in mind. Because I can change them easily."

> > > > >

Connor had been very relieved when that argument was over. He agreed with Dawn that it was slightly disappointing, but he definitely understood where Buffy was coming from. It had been very nice of her to allow them to sleep in the same bed at all. He knew for sure that his father would never allow it. He took another sip of his coffee, looking up when he heard Dawn exclaim while reading the newspaper.

"Buffy, look at this article," Dawn said excitedly, shoving it under her face.

Buffy frowned, staring at the Italian headline. "La ragazza para fuori dei muggers affrontati Orribili."

"Am I supposed to understand that?" she asked warily. "We've only been here for like, a week."

Dawn sighed, exasperated. "Buffy, to the best of my translation, it's talking about a girl who fought off a group of 'gruesome faced' muggers last night."

Connor looked up from his coffee. "Slayer?"

"Maybe," Buffy said, more interested now. She sighed. "So much for my vacation."

"We should find her. She could use our help," Dawn suggested.

"Where was this attack?" Connor asked.

Dawn scanned the article, carefully tearing it out of the paper. "The alley between 'corte di rosa' and 'senso del pino.' We can probably find it on our map. Says the girl was gone before she could be questioned by police."

Buffy nodded, finishing off her coffee. "May as well get on it. We can still look for jobs later." They had planned to walk around today, looking for any job opportunities for Buffy and Connor. Dawn had decided not to get a job, considering she would be starting her senior year at a local high school in a few months.

"We can start at the alley, work out, talk to people nearby," Connor suggested, finishing off his coffee. The three of them exited the apartment, Dawn grabbing the article, map of the city and English to Italian dictionary on the way out.

> > > > >

A half hour later, the three of them stood in the alley, staring at the ground. They didn't really know what they were looking for, they were just kind of standing there, waiting for a clue as to where they could find this girl to appear. So far it wasn't happening.

"Where are those CSI guys when you need em," Buffy muttered to herself. "Okay, we just need to think. She was in this alley, so she must have some kind of business around here, it was at night so she was probably going home, maybe coming back from a party or something."

"The article said that she was gone before the police arrived...but the police wouldn't have arrived if someone hadn't heard something and called them," Dawn exclaimed. "So there must have been a witness, someone who heard something at least...yes, I think this word means 'witness.' Someone...living nearby called it in, doesn't give a name," she said slowly, translating as she went.

Buffy looked up, shading her eyes from the bright Italian sun with one hand. Sure enough she found several windows on the side of what appeared to be a run down apartment building looking back at her. "Looks like we're going door to door," she said, heading back to the street.

> > > > >

"Here goes nothing," Buffy said, knocking on a door. They had gone up to the floor that appeared to have the best view of the alley.

"Why don't you let me do the talking," Dawn suggested. "Maybe if I say something in Italian, they will respond better."

"Okay," Buffy said with a slight smile. She was quite impressed with how well Dawn was doing with the new language. Maybe all those times researching demon languages at the Magic Box had paid off after all.

The door opened a crack, the chain still attached. "Si?"

Dawn smiled at the little they could see of the woman, an eye, and a tuft of unruly gray hair. "Ciao. Potete aiutarli?" She held out the article, hoping that it would speak for itself. The door opened a crack wider as the woman peered at it.

"Ho sentito parlare di questo. Le sirene lo hanno svegliato in su," the woman replied tiredly.

Dawn was good, but not quite that good. "Parlate Inglese?"

The woman shook her head a little. "Buon giorno." She closed the door.

Dawn sighed. "Well she was helpful. But I don't think she was the witness, I think she said something about sirens, probably woke up after the action was over."

"Let's see what's behind door number two," Buffy said cheerily, banging on the door across the hall. This time a little girl answered, no older than four, adorable with long dark curls.

Dawn smiled at her. "Hi. O la vostra madre domestica?"

The little girl stuck a thumb in her mouth, shaking her head. "Il mommy P andato al deposito della drogheria."

Connor frowned a little. This little girl was home alone, in what appeared to be a not so great neighborhood? He glanced at the clothes she wore: an old faded, torn t-shirt that came down to her ankles, and no shoes.

Dawn nodded back at her. "Grazie." The girl started to close the door but Connor reached out a hand and stopped her. Wordlessly, he handed her five Euros.

"Get yourself some shoes. Or food," he said, not really caring or realizing that she didn't understand him. But on some level, she seemed to, as she smiled sweetly, folding her hand around the money before closing the door.

Dawn stared at him, her eyes misty. "That was the sweetest thing I've ever seen anyone do." Buffy tried to roll her eyes at her sister unending devotion for Connor, but couldn't help but agree, that sudden act of kindness was very generous, and a little surprising.

Connor blushed. "She was barefoot, this is a bad part of town, I just wanted to do something to help."

Dawn wrapped her arms around him. "That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen. I love you." She kissed him softly.

Buffy tried to ignore them, knocking on the next door. When an old man answered, she spoke. "Parlate Inglese?" She had learned that was the phrase to_ always _say first.

To her surprise and relief, he nodded. "Whaddya want?"

Dawn got back to business, holding out the article. "We were just wondering if you knew anything about this incident."

He scanned it quickly. "Naw. I was asleep. But Leslie told me about it, she called it in."

Buffy glanced at the others, hopeful. "Leslie? Where can we find her?"

He shoved a dirty thumb in the direction of upstairs. "Right above here." Before they could thank him, he closed the door.

"Well, we have a winner," Buffy said triumphantly, as the trio headed upstairs.

> > > > >

"Leslie?" Buffy asked kindly when an old, plump woman with rollers in her hair answered the door. "Parlate Inglese?"

She frowned slightly. "Know I you?"

Relieved that she spoke at least broken English, Dawn held out the article. "Hi, we heard from your neighbor that you saw this girl, fighting in the alley last night. We were wondering if you could tell us anything else about her. We think she's someone we're looking for," she said honestly.

Leslie nodded grimly. "Dis girl, she walk every night. Den I hear big noises, look out window, and she fighting..." she searched for a word. "Men, not normal."

Buffy nodded encouragingly. "Can you tell us anything else about her? When is she usually around here? Do you know her name?"

She shook her head. "No name. I just see. Every night, midnight. I see her out window."

"What does she look like?" Dawn asked.

Leslie studied Dawn. "Hair like you. Tall. Look sad."

Buffy glanced at the others, satisfied. "Leslie, thank you so much. You've been a really big help."

She nodded. "I hope you finded her. She looks..." she struggled with her English. "Needs friend."

Dawn smiled. "We will find her. Thank you." She closed the door, leaving the three of them standing in the hallway.

"Well, I guess we can find her here tonight at midnight," Buffy said as they walked back down to the street. "She must live around here, if she's out that late. Not a good neighborhood to be walking home alone in the dark."

"Sounds like she can hold her own," Connor commented.

Dawn shook her head. "She must be so confused. She doesn't know what's happening to her."

"Well, we're going to find her, and help her. That is what we're here for," Buffy said, reminding them as well as herself. The past few days had been nice, relaxing, getting settled into the apartment. But bottom line was that she was still _a _slayer if not _the_ slayer. And it was her job to help other girls that were feeling just like she was eight years ago.

"I wonder if the others are having any luck, finding slayers," Dawn wondered out loud.

"I don't know. They're probably still getting settled. We got lucky, we've only been here like a week and we already have a place to live. Giles said the last he heard from everyone was when they arrived," Buffy said. They slowly started to notice the change in the city; they were leaving the outskirts of town and entering the inner city, where their apartment was located.

"The only thing we're missing is jobs," Connor reminded her.

Buffy frowned. "I've been trying to think of what I could do. The counselor thing worked out okay in Sunnydale. Except helping teenagers with issues is hard enough in English."

"True," Dawn said. "Maybe you should start out with something where you don't need to know quite as much Italian, but where you still interact with people, it would be a great way to learn."

Connor stopped suddenly. Something had caught his eye: a piece of paper tacked to a telephone pole, with the little rip off tabs hanging off the bottom. The left side was in Italian, with the right side containing an English translation. One word had caught his eye: strength. He paused to read the ad:

Rome Movers and Co.

Help Wanted!

Requirements: Physical strength, hardworking attitude, flexible schedule. Italian language not required, must only be able to move boxes and furniture for families moving to new homes. Fair pay with opportunity for promotion.

His curiosity peaked, he ripped off one of the little tabs. As much as Dawn would say otherwise, he was best suited for a job that involved his best quality: his strength. This sounded like a good opportunity, the work of moving boxes and furniture would be a piece of cake for him, and he didn't even need to speak the language.

"What's that?" Dawn said curiously, peering over his shoulder.

"Job ad. Sounds promising," Connor said, turning to look at her. Dawn scanned the ad.

"If that's what you want. I'm sure it would be a good way to get started," she suggested. "But you know, you do have more going for you than your superhuman strength. And don't argue with me!" she insisted as he tried to interrupt. "Back there, when you helped that little girl, you proved that you have much more to you than what meets the eye."

Connor looked into her eyes. "I know. But for now I think it would be best to stick with my strengths, where I'm comfortable. I should at least check it out."

Dawn took his hand, and they continued down the street to where Buffy had stopped to wait. "Then you will! You know I'll support you, whatever you decide to do."

He smiled at her. "I know. And I appreciate that more than you know."

> > > > >

"Okay. It's eleven fifteen, I think I'm gonna go now, I don't want to miss her," Buffy said, standing up from where she had been sitting on the couch and pulling on her jacket.

Dawn and Connor looked up from the Italian game show they were watching on tv. "You? What about us? Aren't we all going?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know. I've been thinking about it, and maybe this girl would be less intimidated if she's approached by one perfect stranger instead of three. Her life is confusing enough right now, she has all this new strength, probably wacky dreams, she got attacked last night, and if she's living in that neighborhood...her life is probably less than stellar. I think I should go alone," Buffy said rationally.

Dawn nodded. "Okay. Be careful out there."

"Good luck," Connor added.

Buffy nodded on her way out the door. "Hopefully by the end of the night this girl's life will make much more sense." With that she was gone.

Dawn and Connor went back to watching the tv. After five minutes of watching the game show host ramble in Italian, Dawn sat up perfectly straight, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"What? What is it?" Connor asked worriedly.

She turned to him, her mouth hanging open. "You do just realize that the two of us are alone for the first time in weeks."

Connor's own mouth fell open, amazed that they had just remained oblivious to that fact for the last five minutes. "You're right!" He grinned. "Any ideas for how we should spend the time?"

Dawn glanced at the clock, grinning herself. "Well, I figure we have over an hour, all alone here..."

Connor wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well then maybe we should get started." He started kissing her earlobe.

Dawn softly held him back. "I have a better idea. Why don't you light some of the candles we bought in the bedroom, and I'll be there in a few minutes?"

He looked at her curiously. "Where are you going?"

"You'll see," Dawn said, standing up and hurrying into the bedroom. "I have a little surprise for you." He heard rummaging, then her head peeked around the door, as she obviously hid something behind her back. "I'll only be a minute." She disappeared and he heard the bathroom door close.

Intrigued and grinning, he got a few small candles out of the bags they hadn't unpacked yet and took them into the bedroom, placing them on the night stand, dresser, and floor before lighting them. He made sure protection was nearby, not wanting to take any chances. He glanced around, before fluffing up the pillows and drawing back the covers. A few small touches really did make the small, freshly blue painted room a lot more romantic. On a sudden whim, he rushed out to the kitchen, taking a few of the flowers they had bought for the table out of the vase, and scattering the petals across the bed. Just when he decided it was perfect he heard the bathroom door open slowly.

Dawn stood in the doorway, wearing only a purple nightgown that hugged her body and fell just to the middle of her thigh. She had taken her hair down and it cascaded in waves against her shoulders.

Connor's mouth dropped open when he saw her. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words at first. Finally he managed to croak out "you're so beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it," she said, walking a little closer. "I got it back at the mall in LA, wanted something special for the next time we could be together."

He took her into his arms, as they sank down to sit on the bed. "You're perfect." He kissed her softly, as they gently fell back onto the bed.

"Just one problem: you have far too many clothes on," Dawn said with a grin, pulling his shirt up and over his head. He kissed her more passionately as he helped her remove his pants.

"I've wanted you so bad, it's been so hard these past few weeks," he mumbled, kissing her neck.

"Well we don't have to wait anymore," Dawn said thickly. She giggled as he gently removed her nightgown.

> > > > >

Buffy had been halfway to the alley when she had realized that she had left Dawn and Connor alone to do whatever they wanted. For a moment she had honestly considered turning back. She couldn't believe that she had completely left them alone unsupervised, after she had tried so hard to do the whole parent lecture the previous night. But a part of her was actually happy for them. She really did want them to be happy. The whole sex thing was still a little bit of an issue to her, simply because Dawn was still so young. But there was also something else, and she knew it. She dared herself to think that maybe she was a little jealous of Connor and her sister. They were so happy together, and there was nothing standing in their way. Except...herself.

_Am I really like that? Am I really jealous that my little sister has a great guy that loves her?_ The thought was horrible. But after seeing Angel in LA, she had started to suspect that maybe it was true. Dawn and Connor had something that she and Angel could never have. And as much as she was glad that they had the opportunity to be happy, she couldn't help but feel a little jealous. The man she loved was an ocean away, and she would never again be able to be with the him the way she was sure Dawn and Connor were with each other right now.

She contemplated this on the rest of her walk to the alley. She felt like a horrible person for resenting her sister's happiness even just a little. But she had to admit that while it made her happy to see Dawn so high on life, it also made her feel a little depressed about her own.

_Maybe it's just not meant to be for me. I'm the slayer, Dawn's not. Angel's a vampire, Connor's not. I just have to be happy for them. They deserve this, if Angel and I can't have it they should be able to,_ she told herself firmly. She thought back to the argument the previous night and realized with guilt that maybe she had been a little too overbearing. Had she just been trying to keep Dawn and Connor apart at night so that she would feel better about her own lonely life? As much as it hurt to admit it she knew deep down that it was true.

As she reached the alley, she made a promise to herself. She wasn't going to let herself stand in the way of her sister's happiness. Hell, maybe she would even walk around the block a few times on the way home to give them some extra time together. They deserved it.

She didn't know how long she stood in the alley contemplating this before she heard the sound. Footsteps. She straightened, waiting as the sound got closer. Then she saw her: a girl, brown hair and eyes, very Italian in appearance. She was tall and thin, wearing what looked like an apron underneath a long white coat. She appeared very cautious, glancing left and right, her guard up. She had her hand carefully folded over something in her pocket. As she started to walk past her, Buffy stepped out of the shadows. The girl jumped in the air and pulled out what she had been holding onto so carefully: a wooden stake. Buffy held up her hands. "Hey! It's okay. I'm not a vampire, I just want to talk to you."

The girl didn't look too convinced, her wide brown eyes flitting around nervously. "Come lo conoscete? Nonlo danneggi prego, lascilo vanno," she rambled quickly in Italian.

Buffy noticed the name tag clipped onto the apron. "Gina? My name is Buffy. Do you speak English? Parlate Inglese?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Little bit."

Buffy smiled encouragingly. "Okay! That's good. Gina, I just wanted to talk to you about what happened to you last night. I know you're scared, and confused, and I just want to help you," she said slowly.

"I know you," Gina said suddenly, still clutching her stake. "I see you. In dream."

Buffy nodded with understanding. "You probably did. Gina, I am a slayer. I was the only slayer until a few weeks ago. But now you are too, you are like me. And I want to help you understand. You must have some idea of what's going on, if you're carrying that around," she said, gesturing to the stake. She slowly reached in her own pocket and pulled out her own. "See? I have one too. Because I understand, I know what's out there."

Gina slowly put her stake back in her pocket. "This is why those...those..."

"Vampires," Buffy said softly.

"Why they attack me?" she asked hesitantly, not repeating the word.

"Yes. But I want to help you. I can train you, help you understand your powers and learn to defend yourself," Buffy explained. "Gina, you're not alone in this."

She was surprised to see tears come to the younger girl's eyes. She realized that she didn't look any older than seventeen. "It's okay, you don't have to cry anymore. Why don't you tell me why you walk through this alley every night?" Buffy asked curiously.

Gina looked at her, her expression showing her wary trust for Buffy. "I work, back there. I am waitress, in café. I live there," she said, pointing down the alley to where she had been headed.

"Do you go to school?" Buffy asked.

She shook her head. "Not anymore. Mother and father...they are not here. I leave new parents, leave school, get job..."

Buffy felt instant sympathy for the girl. Her parents were dead, and it sounded like she had run away from her foster family. Now she was so young and working to support herself. "Do you have a home?"

Gina nodded. "It's little, but it's all I need."

Buffy thought. "Gina, would you like to come home with me? My sister and her boyfriend are there, she's about your age. We can talk more."

Gina glanced around uncertainly. "I guess it's okay."

Buffy smiled at her. "Okay. It's not far, just come with me." She turned and started down the alley. Gina followed slowly. They walked along side by side in silence. Buffy looked over at her with a small, encouraging smile, and to her relief, Gina smiled back.

> > > > >

TBC!

Another big thanks to Celestia Nailo for her wonderful job suggestion for Connor, as you can see I am using it. I loved it as soon as I read it, and I thank you for taking the time to think of that! I have even come up with a little subplot that will spin off from the job, I think it will be great for the story.

Please review! I'd love to know what everyone thought of this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6: A Productive Day

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. This chapter turned out insanely long! I think you'll enjoy it. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews for chapter 5! Let me try to answer some of your questions. Don't worry, the apartment won't turn into Buffy's house season 7. Dawn and Connor have a hard enough time trying to be alone as it is! I'm not quite that evil. I am so glad you guys liked the part with Connor and the little girl, I added that in totally on a whim and I'm glad it worked so well. Thanks for the compliments on my "broken English," wasn't sure if it was believable or not, feel much better now :-) And yes, many subplots will come from Connor's job, one that I have in mind in particular, that a lot of you probably won't like at first. But I don't really want to keep this completely pure fluff...you always need a little bit of drama. Okay, done rambling now, have fun reading, and don't forget to review again! I love reading your reviews.

> > > > >

Chapter 6: A Productive Day

"What if I don't wanna?" Dawn complained from her position on top of Connor.

"Well then I guess your sister is going to walk in on us then," Connor replied. "We had our fun, we really should get up."

A slow smile spread across her face. "That was by far the most fun I've had since we came here."

"I definitely agree. Now come on, she could be home any minute," Connor said, gently moving her off of him.

Dawn sighed, but pulled her robe on anyway. "How long do you think it will be before we get to be alone again?"

"Too long," Connor said, as he pulled on his boxers and blew out the candles in the room. He looked up as he heard a key turning in the lock. "Perfect timing," he said as he rushed to put on the rest of his clothes.

"This is our apartment," Buffy said a little awkwardly, as she showed Gina through the door. The Italian girl looked around, taking in her surroundings.

"Very nice," she commented politely. She looked up in alarm as Dawn and Connor emerged from their bedroom.

Buffy's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed their appearance: Dawn was wearing only a robe, and her hair was a little ruffled. Connor was more fully dressed, but it was clear from their expressions and the slight smell of candles that had just been extinguished how they had spent their time alone. She was just thankful that they had dragged themselves out of bed when they had, what a welcome _that _would have been for Gina. "Dawn, Connor, this is Gina," Buffy said politely. "Gina, this is my sister Dawn and her boyfriend Connor."

Gina raised a hand to wave in greeting. "Gina, why don't you let me get you some hot chocolate," Buffy offered, smiling at the younger girl. She nodded appreciatively and Buffy headed over to the kitchen to make some.

"You can sit down over here," Dawn said, gesturing to the couch. Gina took her up on the offer and sat down, still looking a little wary. Dawn sat down next to her. "It's nice to meet you. Buffy is going to help you. We're all going to, but Buffy understands what you're going through."

Connor decided to leave Dawn alone with the other girl. She still looked very hesitant, and maybe she would open up most to someone her own sex and age. He perched on one of the kitchen stools, where Buffy was busy with the hot chocolate. "So, she's a slayer?" he asked quietly.

Buffy nodded. "Took some prompting to get her to come with me, but I think she's coming around." She shook her head. "I feel really bad for her. She's living on her own, left school, she's working in a café to support herself. I think she could really use a friend. And the whole slayer thing can't be helping her situation." She took four new mugs out of the cabinet, peeling the still attached price stickers off.

"Maybe she'll be more comfortable with Dawn. They look about the same age," Connor commented.

Over on the couch, Gina spoke suddenly. "I still very confused. First, get attacked by...vampires, den this girl tell me I am...I am slayer, combattente." As she spoke faster, she started to inadvertently mix English with her much more fluent Italian. "I am just waitress in un caffP, no avuto scopo, nessun destino."

Dawn looked at her sympathetically, thinking carefully before attempting to reply in Italian. "Sta andando essere giusto."

Gina looked at her in surprise. "You...you understand? Comprenda?" Dawn nodded. Gina studied her for a minute before shaking her head almost violently. She tried to speak in English once again. "You may understand language, but you no understand me. You have family."

"Gina, my mother died two years ago, and my father left when Buffy and I were very young. I know how it feels to be alone," Dawn tried.

"No. No you don't. You have sister, and boyfriend! I have no one. Just me. Me and you..." she shook her head again. "Not alike. You live here, nice, new. Lavoro appena dieci giorni di ora per pagare l'affitto sull'un appartamento della stanza!" she rushed, her voice growing louder as she switched back to her native tongue. She took a breath. "You no understand me. Stop treating me like little girl."

Dawn sat there in silent shock as Buffy and Connor remained frozen in place in the kitchen. None of them had expected such an outburst. "I...I'm sorry," Dawn muttered. "I'll just...go." She stood up quickly and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Buffy looked at Connor and nodded as he got up and followed her, entering the room and closing the door yet again.

Buffy filled two mugs with hot cocoa, leaving the other two empty for now. She slowly approached the couch. She handed Gina one of the mugs. The other girl nodded slightly, sipping from it eagerly, her eyes not leaving the floor.

Buffy carefully sat down on the opposite end of the couch. "Dawn was just trying to be nice. I think you upset her."

Gina shook her head. "She tries to pretend she understand...she don't. No one understand."

"Well maybe if you tried letting someone in they could come to understand," Buffy suggested. "You don't always have to go at it alone. I want to help you, Dawn and Connor want to help you. But we can't if you don't let us."

She finally let her eyes meet Buffy's. "How can you help me?"

Buffy set her mug down on the coffee table. "Well, I can train you. Help you so that you won't feel so scared the next time you see vampires. I may not understand a lot of things, but one thing I am damn good at is fighting vampires."

Gina smiled a little at that. "I have little time. I work all day."

"Well then we can train at night then. We don't have to push it, how often we meet is completely up to you. All I ask is that you give me a chance. You will be glad you did."

Gina nodded, placing her empty mug on the coffee table. "I should go. I work early next day."

Buffy stood up with her. "Okay, I can walk home with you."

Gina shook her head. "I be fine. I walk every night."

"Not from here you don't. I would feel awful if I sent you out alone at night in a strange part of town and something happened to you...please just let me walk with you," Buffy said.

Gina considered that a moment before nodding. "Okay. But I am not little girl. I take care of myself."

Buffy smiled. "I can see that. Now come on, let's go. We can talk about when we're going to start your training."

> > > > >

Connor quietly slipped inside the bedroom. "Baby? Are you okay?"

Dawn was sitting on the bed facing the wall, hugging her robe tightly around herself. She spoke very softly. "I didn't mean to upset her. I was just trying to be nice."

He sat down next to her, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "I know. She's just...sensitive."

"No, she was right," Dawn said with a sigh. "This girl is all alone in the world. She's like my age, and she's living by herself, working as a waitress just to make ends meet. And now she finds out that her destiny was...well, predestined. And I am all oh, I understand," she said, using a sarcastic tone on the last part. "I really don't." She turned to look at him. "I don't really think about how good I really have it. I mean, I guess in a way I do know how she feels. Two years ago, I had the worst summer of my life. I found out what it felt like to be alone. But even then I had Willow and Tara, and the Buffybot..." She noticed Connor's confused look. "Long story. But anyway, now, look at me. I'm here, in Italy, in a nice new apartment, with an annoying yet loving sister and the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. I really don't know what it's like to be so alone."

Connor pulled her into a hug. "It's sad, it's sad that there are people like Gina who are so alone. I know she feels, because it's how I felt until the day a certain brown haired girl walked into my father's hotel." She smiled at him. "But you don't need to beat yourself up over it. You only tried to be a friend to her. She just isn't used to that, so she overreacted."

"How is it that you can always make me feel better?" she said with a small smile.

He smiled back. "I love you. It's my job."

She collapsed against his chest as they hugged tightly. "You know, Buffy didn't even say anything. About how we obviously spent our alone time," she said wryly.

"Maybe she's coming around," he said, pulling back so he could see her face. He pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I hope so. Because that was...well I could definitely go with some alone time that amazing in our schedule every day," she said with a grin.

"I definitely agree." He kissed her forehead. They heard the door close. "Sounds like they left."

Dawn nodded. She slowly turned to look at Connor. "Will you hold me?"

He nodded, reaching out and taking her in his arms. He slowly leaned back so he was lying down on the bed, gently pulling her with him. She relaxed against him as he stroked her hair. They lied there in peaceful silence until they both fell asleep.

> > > > >

Buffy and Gina walked quickly through the dark streets of Rome. It was pretty quiet at this hour, but as they crossed into Gina's neighborhood there were more people on the streets. "I can go from here alone," Gina said quickly when they reached the alley where they had met earlier that night.

Buffy thought about this. Finally she nodded. She understood that Gina was probably somewhat embarrassed of where she lived, although it probably, hopefully wasn't that bad. They were almost strangers after all, and she had probably already intruded enough. "Okay. When can I see you again? We can maybe go out on patrol, go over some basics."

Gina looked slightly confused, she didn't know what a 'patrol' was. But she figured it had something to do with slaying, so she nodded. "Tomorrow. I stop work at ten. We can go then," she said.

Buffy nodded. "That would be great. Want me to just meet you at your work?"

Gina considered this before nodding. "Perfetto Café. Three blocks that way," she said, pointing down the alley.

Buffy smiled. "I'll be there. Good night Gina." She turned and started to walk away before Gina called after her.

"Tell your sister that I don't mean upset her," Gina said quietly.

Buffy nodded. "I will." With that they parted ways and headed to their respective homes.

> > > > >

Buffy walked in the door to the apartment a short while later. It was quiet and dark. She slowly opened the door to Dawn and Connor's room. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of them wrapped in each others' arms, sound asleep. She closed the door softly before entering her own room. She quickly changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. But unlike her sister and Connor, it took her a very long time to fall asleep.

> > > > >

The next day, Dawn and Buffy were sitting at the kitchen counter, eating Buffy's breakfast specialty, cereal. They both looked surprised when Connor emerged from the bedroom dressed in his best clothes, the ones that Dawn had to convince him to buy. "Come on baby, every guy needs a nice outfit for special occasions!" she had argued. Eventually he had caved, but Dawn was still surprised to see him actually wearing the navy blue dress pants and white button down shirt. "What's the occasion?" she asked in surprise.

He tugged at the collar of his shirt, a little uncomfortable. "Remember that flier? The one for the moving company? Well, I called the number and the guy told me I could go in for an interview today. Do these pants make me look fat?" he asked self consciously. He wasn't used to putting effort into his appearance.

Dawn smiled, getting up to go over to him. "No, you look very handsome. See, I told you these clothes would come in handy." She adjusted his collar. "Your first interview! I'm so proud of you. Where do you have to go?"

Connor fidgeted. "Company headquarters, about five miles away. I'll probably get a taxi."

"Do you know what you're going to say?" Buffy chimed in.

Connor blanked. "Say? Besides, 'Hi, I'm Connor, nice to meet you?'"

Dawn laughed. "Don't worry about it. They'll probably just ask you about like experience and references and stuff."

Connor looked alarmed. "Are you forgetting that I don't _have_ any references? Or experience?"

"I'm sure you'll win them over. All their employees combined probably aren't as strong as you," Dawn assured him. "You just have to be yourself."

Connor ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I guess I should go."

"Don't you want some breakfast?" Buffy asked. "I made cereal."

Connor shook his head. "I'm too nervous to eat." He bent down slightly in order to check out his reflection in the toaster.

Dawn laughed. "You're so cute. Don't worry about it, really." She leaned over and kissed him slowly. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Connor said. He turned and headed out the door. Dawn rejoined Buffy at the counter.

"You do know that the whole no experience or references thing could actually be a problem," Buffy said.

Dawn shrugged. "Wasn't what he needed to hear. Anyway, I have complete faith in him."

> > > > >

Twenty minutes later, Connor sat in the waiting room of a small office, staring blankly at a job application form. Name, address, phone number, those had been no problem. But, social security number? He was fairly certain that he didn't even _have_ one of those. Technically he had only even been alive for less than two years in this dimension, and a few months of that had been spent in a hell dimension, where time moved much faster, and through all of that he hadn't exactly found the time to apply for social security. Finally he just wrote random numbers inside the little boxes. He filled out some more information rather easily, shaking his head when he realized he had to think about when his birthday was. Then he remembered when Cordelia had told him: November 19, 2001. And here it was June 2003...yeah, by this dimension's standards he was definitely too young for heavy labor. He changed the year to 1984. _That's better._ He blanched when he read the next two questions: _Describe your work experience _and _List your references_. He wasn't sure how long he stared at it before a door opened, and a man called out to him. He jumped out of his seat.

The guy was dressed in a suit and tie, making Connor feel underdressed. He had broad shoulders and looked like a former football player. He held his hand out. "You must be Connor. I'm Steve, Steven Goldberg. I'm the manager of Rome Movers and Co.."

Connor shook his hand. "Hi. I'm Connor."

Steve stood back to let him enter his office, closing the door behind them. "I see you're an American."

Connor nodded as he sat down awkwardly in the chair across from the desk. "Yeah, I just moved her a couple weeks ago, from California."

Steve nodded. "I moved here myself ten years ago, right out of college. Started my own company. It's quiet today, the guys are out on a job. Let me explain our operation. People that are moving to the area call or stop in. Therese deals with most of them. She's fluent in four languages. She sets up the time, the place, we send a crew out to do the job."

Connor nodded. "Do you ever go out...uh, in the field?"

"Used to, back when this place was just getting off it's feet. But now we have a guy who is in charge of operations. I'm just here to supervise. Place has become a real success," Steve boasted. Connor could already tell one thing about Steve: he liked to talk, especially about himself and his success.

"I see that. I saw the flier, didn't expect it to be quite so...professional," Connor admitted. He had been surprised to see a quiet yet immaculate office building, he had been expecting more a few guys in a garage type deal.

Steve nodded proudly. "We pride ourselves on professionalism. Now tell me Connor, why do you want to join our team?" He glanced over his application. "I see you didn't list any references or past experience."

Connor stared at him. "Well, I don't exactly have any. This is kind of my first official job. Except I did work for my father's private investigation service in LA. I did a lot of muscle work," he said, half telling the truth. "Look, I just moved here with my girlfriend and her sister, we're trying to get our life off the ground. I need a job, and I know I can do the work," he said honestly.

Steve considered that. "Well, we haven't exactly had the applicants rolling in lately. Business is booming, but we are a little shorthanded. Do you speak Italian?"

Connor shook his head. "But I'm learning."

Steve cocked his head. "Well as it said in the flier it's not required. I myself am fluent in both English and Italian. But I understand that not everyone is." He paused. "How about I show you the heart of our operation."

Connor followed him out of the office and into an elevator. After a short ride, they emerged in a garage, what appeared to be underground. Connor couldn't help but smile. This was what he had imagined. It was a large garage, with two moving trucks parked in spaces, another three spots empty. Boxes and equipment were everywhere, and there were clipboards hanging on the walls, listing what appeared to be assignments and hours. There was a row of lockers against one wall.

"This is where employees report to work, find out where they're working that day, punch in, punch out, all that stuff. Do you drive?" Steve asked Connor.

"Yes," he lied. He hadn't really driven too much in his lifetime, but he was sure he could figure it out. Buffy could teach him! On the other hand, maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea. He remembered the story Dawn had told him about her sister's run in with a mailbox and a lamp post her first time on the road and winced. No, this particular skill might be better self taught. He hesitated. "So, what do you think? Can I have the job?" Steven studied him as he considered that.

> > > > >

"Connor I am so proud of you!" Dawn squealed for about the fifteenth time that day as the three of them celebrated at a nearby pizza place.

Connor grinned. "I know it's not the greatest job, but the pay is actually better than I expected. And I know the work will be good."

"I think it's a great start," Buffy pitched in as she finished off another slice of pizza. "You know, I'm really proud of us. We've only been here for a little less than two weeks and we already have a great start on a new life."

"To a new life," Dawn said, holding up her glass of soda. The three of them clinked glasses and drank.

Buffy glanced at the clock. "Wow, I had better get going. Gina gets off work in twenty minutes. I got sidetracked with the celebration." She stood up and started to pull on her coat, leaving some money on the table. "You guys can just finish up and head back home. I don't know exactly how long I'll be."

Connor's eyes met Dawn's, both of them thinking exactly the same thing. "Sure! Please, take your time," Dawn said nonchalantly.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you two." She waved her goodbyes as she left the restaurant.

Dawn reached across the table and took Connor's hand. "What do you say we hurry home and have a little celebration of our own?"

Connor grinned. "Sounds good to me." They gathered their things and hurried out of the restaurant down the street, hand in hand.

> > > > >

Several minutes later the two of them hurried down the hall to their apartment, Dawn giggling giddily. They paused outside the door. They both looked at the door, then at each other. A look of disbelief spread over their faces.

"No."

"No way."

"I can't believe this!"

"We don't have a key."

They stood there in defeat as they remembered that currently they only had one key to the apartment. They had thought several times about getting a copy made but it had never gotten done. And right now the one key was with Buffy. Dawn moaned angrily as she slumped against the wall until she was sitting. "This sucks! All this alone time, completely wasted."

Connor sat down next to her and sighed. "Do you think she knew all along that we were going to be locked out?"

Dawn briefly considered that before shaking her head. "No. I don't think Buffy would do that to us. She seems...I don't know, a little more open to our relationship. In fact she hasn't even mentioned it."

They sat there in silence for a few seconds. Connor turned to look at her. "So much for our celebration. You know that I'd make love to you right here in this hallway if I could."

Dawn smiled, turning to face him so that she was balanced on her knees. "Why can't you?" She ran her fingers down his chest.

He smiled back. "Because we all like this apartment, and being evicted for having sex in the hallways isn't really on the agenda right now."

Dawn pouted. "You're right." She sighed. "Oh well. Hopefully soon Buffy will find a job and we can have lots of time to ourselves." Connor nodded in agreement. They sat there in silence for a few minutes.

"You know that I really am so proud of you," Dawn said suddenly. She looked at him. "I don't care if it's at the top of the corporate ladder. I just care that you love me so much that you would go out there and get your first job."

He reached out and took her hand. "I want to be able to be a good boyfriend. I want to be able to take you out somewhere nice, give you everything you want. And I know, you're going to say that I don't need money to do that, but it is nice to have. And maybe someday down the line we'll have our own family, and we will be glad that I started learning how to provide for the people that I love."

Dawn felt tears come to her eyes. They had never really discussed, or even mentioned, the prospect of having kids someday. Connor really did love her more than anything. She realized just then how truly lucky she was. "You know, that day last fall when I went to Angel's hotel, I thought I would just be spending a few days bored out of my mind while Buffy went off and slayed stuff in Europe. I didn't think that those were going to be the days that changed my life."

"Neither did I," he said softly. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly. She relaxed in his arms and they both just sat there in silence. Finally Dawn spoke.

"I Spy or Twenty Questions?"

> > > > >

Buffy walked into Perfetto Café at exactly ten pm. It was actually a pretty nice little place. Modern decor, a fairly extensive looking menu, several people sitting at the little tables drinking coffee, all speaking quickly in Italian to each other. Behind the counter Gina was ringing up a customer. She spotted Buffy and gave her a small smile and a wave. Buffy approached the counter and waited until the customer left before stepping up. "Hi Gina. Are you almost ready?" she asked.

Gina looked frazzled. "I'm sorry, it will be couple minute. Girl...not show up," she said, struggling with her words.

Buffy nodded in understanding. "You're shorthanded. Okay, I can wait." She glanced around. While she stood there another waitress came out of the back, balancing what looked like a very heavy tray filled with what looked like cake and mugs of coffee on one hand. Buffy straightened up as she noticed that the tray was starting to slant to the right, unbeknownst to the waitress. Just as it started to tip, Buffy shot her arms out and caught the side of the tray, slowly tipping it upright again.

The waitress glanced at her with wide eyes. "L'OH mio! Grazie, quello sarebbe stato un tal mess!" She took the tray in both hands as she delivered it to the waiting patrons.

Buffy tried to ignore the stares she was getting from everyone. She couldn't help it that she had slightly superhuman reflexes. She jumped when a voice sounded from behind her. "Quello era abbastanza impressionante. Siete molto buoni sui vostri

piedi!" She spun around to see a large Italian man standing behind her wearing an apron.

She smiled. "Um, parlate Inglese?"

The man laughed. "Yes. I was telling you how impressive that was. Great...reflexes," he said, taking a moment to think of the word.

Buffy laughed. "Thanks. It's kind of natural."

He looked her up and down. "Have you ever been a waitress, miss..."

"Summers. Buffy Summers. I'm a friend of Gina's. And yes, actually, for a short time in LA once," Buffy said, sadly remembering those dark months in her life.

"Hello Miss Summers. I am Ricardo, I own dis place. I don't know if Gina told you, but we are currently shorthanded. Two of our best girls quit unexpectedly last week. From that impressive save with ze tray, I think you would be perfect to work here," Ricardo said with a big smile and thick Italian accent.

Buffy was a little taken aback by this sudden job offer. "Are you asking me to work here?"

He nodded. "We busy, lots of tips. Pay is what you will find anywhere else in de city. I think you would be perfetto for de job!" he said enthusiastically.

Buffy laughed a little as she considered that. At first she was ready to say no, but then she thought: what could it hurt? She needed a job. And she did have some waitressing experience. Besides, it would be a good way to stick close to Gina, who still seemed a little on guard around her. It didn't have to be forever, but for the time being it seemed...quite 'perfetto' actually. "I think I'll take it," she said with a smile.

Ricardo clapped his hands together loudly. "Meraviglioso! When do you start?" he asked in excitement.

Buffy laughed. Ricardo was very animated and entertaining. "As soon as possible I guess."

He beamed, putting an arm around her shoulders. "You start tomorrow. I'm sure our lovely Gina can help you get started. Welcome Miss Summers!"

"Thank you," Buffy said, shaking his hand. "I appreciate it."

"I must get back to de kitchen. But I see you tomorrow!" he said happily as he hurried into the back, leaving Buffy to stand there as she tried to fully absorb what had just happened.

Gina hurried over to her, pulling her coat on over her apron. "Did Ricardo just give you job?" she asked in amazement.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah! I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other now." She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw happiness on Gina's face when she said that. She smiled at her. "So what do you say we go kill some vampires?"

> > > > >

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with...L."

"Lamp. Connor, you've done that one three times."

Connor laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm not really that good at this game."

"So I've noticed. But you have many other talents, so I can forgive you," she said, giving him a sly smile.

Connor glanced at his watch. "We've been sitting here for over two hours. We could have been having so much fun..."

"Speaking of fun, Buffy's home," Dawn said wryly. The two of them stood up as Buffy came down the hall, looking quite smug. She froze as she saw them standing there, then realization dawned on her.

"Oh my God, you didn't have a key! I'm so sorry," she said. She couldn't help but laugh. They had to have been so excited at the prospect of having some time alone. She could just picture the looks on their faces when they had discovered they were locked out. "Well, on a brighter note, guess who has a job? Besides Connor, I mean."

Dawn's eyes widened. "You got a job? Good for you!"

"I am the newest waitress at Perfetto Café," Buffy said proudly. She unlocked the door and the three of them stepped inside.

"Hey, isn't that where Gina works?" Connor asked.

Buffy nodded, taking off her jacket. "Yes. Which makes it even better. I think she's starting to warm up to me though. We went on patrol tonight. I managed to find a nearby cemetery!"

"How did she do?" Dawn asked.

"Pretty good for her first time out. She was a little freaked when vampire started coming at her, but she got the hang of it. Even dusted one herself towards the end. And let me tell you, Italian vampires are totally nothing compared to American ones. Must have been the Hellmouth," she commented.

"That's great. So I would say today was a pretty productive day," Connor said. He was interrupted when Buffy suddenly burst out laughing. He looked offended. "What's so funny?"

Buffy stared at them. "You do realize that you could have just gone down to the landlord's apartment and he could have let you in?" Dawn and Connor looked at each other in disbelief before the three of them starting cracking up.

> > > > >

TBC!

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7: Birthday Surprises

A/N: OMG, soooo sorry for the long wait. I didn't realize it had been over a month, my apologies. Life has been a little crazy lately. But here is a nice long chapter for you, jam-packed with D/C lovin'. I think you'll enjoy. Big thanks to the reviewers for chapter 6: Sanity Fair, Katie, freezyboncoolipants, daybreak and destructo boy, Hellmouth2, and Illyria Jem. You guys are great! Please keep it up, I live for reviews. Enjoy the chapter!

> > > > >

Chapter 7: Birthday Surprises

A few weeks later

Monday, July 6th, 2003

"Connor, I just don't know about this," Buffy argued.

Connor stared at her. "Please, Buffy. Dawn's birthday is this Friday, I want to do this for her. It would only be for one night. Don't you think she deserves this?"

"It's not about what she deserves. It's about the fact that she's turning seventeen. Seventeen! Trust me, I experienced firsthand that seventeenth birthdays can end in disaster," she countered weakly.

"You know this isn't the same situation. Look, I have money saved up from my job, I would pay for the whole thing. We've been doing just what you've asked, I think we deserve one night," Connor said stubbornly. He usually did not like to argue with Buffy because he truly appreciated everything she had done for him. Not just anyone would allow someone they don't know too well to move across the globe and move into an apartment with herself and her younger sister, who happened to be dating said someone...

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment. "Connor, I understand your point. And whether you believe it or not, I agree that you guys deserve to be happy. I _want_ you to be happy. Do you understand that Dawn is all I have left? And of course I want nothing more than her happiness. But I am also her guardian and I am responsible for her. What would your father think?"

"Angel's in LA, he won't even know about it. If you're worried about what the people at the hotel would think, Dawn doesn't look underage. She could easily pass for twenty," Connor insisted.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "That's comforting."

Connor paused a moment. "You don't have to give me an answer right now. But please think about it. Really try to think about it. I'll need a few days notice if I'm going to make the reservation though."

Buffy nodded. "I will. And Connor?" She hesitated. "Thank you. For wanting to do something nice for my sister."

"I love her," he said simply.

"So do I," Buffy said softly.

He glanced at the clock. "I should get going. Don't want to be late for work. Tell Dawn I'll see her tonight."

Buffy nodded. "Bye." She stood in the living room of the apartment and watched as he walked out the door. She groaned into the silence of the room. She didn't know what she was doing. She had told herself that she wasn't going to get in the way of her sister's relationship. And she really intended to honor that. But "accidentally" giving them a few hours home alone together was a little different than giving them permission to rent a hotel suite to do God knows what. She sighed. Hopefully an answer would come to her.

> > > > >

Connor walked into the garage a short while later, nodding hello to some of the other guys, who were sitting around and chatting while waiting for their daily assignments to be posted. He had been working at Rome Movers and Co for a few weeks now, and he really liked it. The work was very easy for him, and it was kind of funny to see the other guys gawk when he lifted a fifty pound box with one hand. He had been to a different part of the city almost every day, and he was even starting to catch on to some of the culture and language. He still wasn't nearly as good as Dawn, but he was learning. As for his coworkers, many of them didn't speak English. In fact only himself and two other guys did. As he put his jacket in his locker he spotted James, a fellow American who was studying abroad at college here. "Hey James."

"Hey Connor. How ya doin?" he asked, running a hand through his short blonde hair. He was about the same height as Connor, with a medium build.

"Okay." He sighed as he pulled on his work boots.

"What's wrong?" James asked immediately. He could tell Connor wasn't his usual lively self.

"It's nothing that bad...just that persuading Buffy to let me take Dawn to a hotel for her birthday this weekend isn't as easy as I'd hoped," he admitted. James knew about Dawn and Buffy, and had grown used to hearing Connor go on about his love for the younger girl.

"Eh, she'll come around. Hell, if she lets you guys sleep in the same room she must be pretty lax," James said with a laugh.

Connor shook his head. "She's not. She cares a lot about Dawn. Since their mother died, they have come to depend on each other. She's just looking out for her best interests." He sighed. "I just don't know what I can get for her if we can't do the hotel...I'm no good at shopping."

James shrugged. "How about jewelry? This girl, Cara, that I dated back in the States? She loved it. You can't go wrong."

Connor gave him a half smile. "I know, but I just want this to be extra special for her. This is her first birthday that I'll be there for."

"Don't stress about it man. I'm sure Buffy will come around." He thought for a moment. "How old did you say she is? Buffy, I mean."

"She's 22," Connor said suspiciously. "Why?"

James shrugged. "I don't know, just maybe you could get me a date."

Connor couldn't help but laugh. He couldn't see Buffy ever going for a guy like James...he was young, and from what he had heard the eldest Summers liked her men older. Way older. Plus the fact that he was fairly certain she was still in love with his father. But he decided to let James down easy. "I'll see what I can do," he said casually. Thankfully at that moment Steve, their manager, walked in, holding the clipboard with the day's assignments.

"Hello boys," he said with a curt nod. He switched seamlessly to Italian to give the directions in the dialect that the majority of his work force understood best. When all of the other guys started to move towards the trucks, he came over to Connor and James. "Hello. You boys are out on Vista Giusta Strada, moving a family across town." They exchanged a few more words before Connor and James headed to the correct truck, which already occupied several other guys. As he hopped into the back, Connor took a deep breath. At least he would have something else to focus on besides making Dawn's birthday perfect for a few hours.

> > > > >

That evening Connor walked in the door of the apartment, removing his jacket. Dawn bounced out of their bedroom to give him a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Miss me?"

"Very much," Dawn said with a grin. They kissed again, before she suddenly jumped back. "Oh! I almost forgot. Buffy left you this." She picked up a folded piece of paper that had 'Connor' written on it. "She told me not to peek, and it's been driving me crazy."

He took the note from her, curious. He unfolded it to see a few sentences scribbled in Buffy's handwriting.

_Connor, _

I thought about our conversation earlier a lot. I decided that you were right. You and Dawn do deserve this. So you can do whatever you want this weekend. But don't get too used to it. Remember that it's only because this is a special occasion. I figured that one Summers sister should have a seventeenth birthday that doesn't end tragically. So you have my permission. Let me know if you need help planning anything.

Buffy

He grinned as he read it. James had been right: she did come around. He smiled even wider as he thought of how special Friday night was going to be for both of them.

"What is it?" Dawn said, almost jumping up and down from anticipation.

He laughed, ripping the note into pieces before tossing it into the garbage. "It is very good news regarding your birthday present."

Dawn's eyes widened. "Oh my God! You are the best. So what is it?"

He laughed. "It's a surprise."

She frowned. "Surprises are no fun! Now I'll be curious all week. And you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat."

He smiled. "I think you'll like this one. Trust me." She shrieked as he scooped her off her feet and into his arms in one swift motion. "But for now, your sister is at work, and we are alone. So I think there are more important things to think about." She giggled as he carried her into the bedroom, a satisfied smile on his face. Everything was falling into place. This birthday was going to be everything Dawn had every dreamed of.

> > > > >

Four days later

Friday, July 10th, 2003

"So what can I do to help?" Buffy asked quietly.

Connor shrugged. "I don't know. I've pretty much got it under control. I'm going to leave work early and go to the hotel to get everything set up...why don't you take Dawn shopping today, get her something se- nice to wear tonight. Then you can bring her to the hotel at 7. But don't tell her what it's for!"

"Well what am I supposed to say then?" Buffy asked hurriedly. They had to finish their plotting before Dawn got out of the shower.

"I'm sure you'll think of something. But can you take her shopping?" he asked.

She nodded. "I was going to anyway, let her pick out her own presents." They heard the water turn off in the bathroom.

"Thank you Buffy, for everything," Connor said honestly. "Thanks for letting me make this night special for Dawn."

Buffy nodded. "You're welcome."

Dawn emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel. "What are you guys talking about? Does this have anything to do with my birthday surprise?" she asked suspiciously.

Connor grinned. "Maybe. Now, I have to go to work. But Buffy's going to take you shopping, and I will see you later. Happy Birthday," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss.

Dawn kissed him back. "Bye! I can't wait." Connor exchanged one last meaningful glance with Buffy before heading out the door.

Dawn stared at her sister. "What was that all about? You guys are so up to something."

"Believe me, this surprise was all Connor. Now get dressed, we have some birthday power shopping to do," Buffy said with a smile.

> > > > >

"You're not even going to give me a hint, are you?" Dawn said with a sigh after several minutes of prodding.

Buffy laughed as she looked through a rack of dresses in a little downtown shop. "Nope. I promised Connor. But you'll like it. Trust me," she said wryly.

"Well how am I even supposed to shop for an outfit if I don't know what we're doing? I mean I don't know if I need new jeans, a cute dressy top, a dress, skirt, bathing suit, wool coat..." Dawn continued innocently.

Buffy gave her a look, pulling a black dress off the rack. "I think you should stay on the more dressy side for this particular surprise. What do you think of this?"

Dawn tilted her head to the side. "Too plain. I want something more eye-catching. I'm thinking color," she said, moving to a different rack with brightly colored clothes. She flipped right past the t-shirts and shorts and began going slower once she got to the dresses and skirts. "So, how's Gina doing?"

"Very well. She killed another vampire last night," Buffy said quietly. "She's catching on to the whole slayer thing. And I think me taking the job in the café was definitely a good move, she seems to be letting her guard down a little." She paused and looked at Dawn. "She said to tell you happy birthday."

Dawn looked temporarily sad. "Really, I thought I was some spoiled little popular girl that had no idea how she feels."

Buffy gave her a sympathetic look. "Dawn...Gina, she's different than us. I mean, we grew up in a mostly good family home, and even after mom we still had each other. She doesn't have anyone. And she's very guarded, I think she's afraid of being hurt any more than she already is. But she's definitely warming up to me, and once she relaxes a little more I'll bring her over for dinner, you guys can give it another try. She really did feel bad, I think that whole night was just a lot for her to absorb."

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, I guess." She added another dress to the small pile on her arm. "I'm gonna go try these on. Hopefully we'll find a winner," she said with a smile before heading for the dressing room.

Buffy followed her, taking a seat on a chair outside the small curtained room ready to give her honest opinion. She understood how Dawn felt about the whole Gina thing...sure, she has Connor, and she has her sister, but she doesn't really have any friends her own age. Her first attempt to make one had been hurtfully shot down.

"How about this one? I don't like it, it makes my boobs look small," Dawn said with a grimace as she stepped out in a red strapless, pretty shapeless dress.

"Yeah, that's a no. Try the next one," Buffy said. As Dawn reentered the fitting room, her older sister smiled to herself. It seemed like just yesterday that she was pushing Dawn on the swings in the park...well those were fake memories, but who cares. Bottom line was that now here they were, shopping for a dress on her seventeenth birthday before her romantic evening with her boyfriend. She thought about what their mom with think, wincing slightly at the thought that she may not agree with how lax Buffy had been about Dawn and Connor's intimate relationship...but she had a feeling deep down that wherever their mom was right now, she was proud of both of them.

"What about this one? I really like it," Dawn said enthusiastically, emerging from behind the curtain.

Buffy almost fell off the chair. "Okay, I may not have a lot of rules, but there is no way I am letting you out in that. It's...it's practically lingerie!"

Dawn pouted. "I like it. The red is bright, and it makes me look really good..."

Buffy gave her a stern look that closely resembled Willow's resolve face. "Dawnie. You're falling out of it. And the parts that are slightly covered you can see right through the lace. Try the next one on."

Dawn sighed. "Okay...but I know if Connor was here, he would like it."

"Yes, maybe a little too much. That's the problem," Buffy said dryly. She heard Dawn laugh quietly.

"Buffy, Connor's not like other guys. He cares about more than...sex and stuff," Dawn said sheepishly.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Sure, maybe he does. But that doesn't mean he doesn't think about it at all."

"Well of course he does," Dawn said. "He is a guy after all." She stepped out of the cubicle.

Buffy froze when she saw her. She sat there in silence a moment before she was able to formulate some words. "Dawnie...you look beautiful."

Dawn beamed. "I think it's perfect." She twirled around in front of the mirror once before glancing over at her sister. "Thank you Buffy."

"For what?" Buffy asked as she stood up.

"Everything," Dawn said, coming over to give her a hug.

Buffy almost melted as she hugged her back. "My baby sister is all grown up."

"I know." Dawn slowly pulled back, her eyes glistening a little from tears. She smiled through the forming tears. "So what do you say we go find some shoes?"

> > > > >

"No. This is not happening, I don't understand. Check it again," Connor said angrily.

The woman behind the counter at the Hotel Roma shook her head meekly at him. "I'm sorry sir, there must have been a misunderstanding. Your reservation is not in the computer, and I'm afraid we're completely booked."

"But I called, I called Monday night, and I made a reservation! Look, you need to find me a room. It's my girlfriend's birthday tonight," he said, his voice rising.

"Sir, we can comp a room for you next week, as soon as we have an opening," she offered.

He shook his head emphatically. "I don't _want_ a room next week, I want a room tonight! Can I speak to your manager?"

"What seems to be the problem sir?" A well dressed man appeared from the office as if on cue. "I am the manager of this fine facility," he said in English with a thick Italian accent.

Connor tried to take a deep breath. "I made a reservation here on Monday. Tonight is my girlfriend's birthday, this is a surprise for her, it's her birthday present. And now this woman is telling me that my reservation has disappeared, and that you can't give me a room. And no, I don't want a room next week," he added.

The manager glanced from Connor to the receptionist to the computer and back again. "Well sir if there are no available rooms, then I'm afraid there's not much I can do..."

Connor took the man's arm and dragged him off to the side by a potted plant. He lowered his voice. "Hey man, look. It's my girl's birthday tonight. I've been planning this all week, I need to have a room tonight. Look, my father runs a hotel in LA. And I know that hotels usually keep a few rooms on standby just in case...I understand that this was probably just an honest mistake. But I _need _this room tonight. So can you just...try to help me out?" He tried to look as sympathetic as possible. Sure, Angel had never actually rented a room out of the hotel in his very long life, but Connor had seen that bit of info on the Travel channel one of the many days Dawn had forced him to watch tv, swearing he needed to "modernize." And the whole father thing just sounded more personal.

The manager looked thoughtful. He leaned in closer to Connor. "I understand your predicament. And I think I can help you. Just wait here a minute. I see what I can do."

Connor smiled gratefully, patting him on the shoulder. "Thanks. I knew you would understand."

The manager scurried behind the desk and started punching keys into the computer (The receptionist had wisely retreated into the office). After a moment he waved Connor over with his hand. "I can give you a suite. I believe it's an upgrade from what you ordered. I think you and your girlfriend will like it a lot. No extra charge." He handed him a keycard.

Connor grinned at him. "Thank you, so much. I appreciate it." The manager nodded at him. With a smug smile on his face, Connor tossed the keycard into the air and caught it swiftly as he boarded the elevator. He had handled that obstacle quite nicely, if he did say so himself.

> > > > >

"So what are we doing here again? When am I going to see Connor?" Dawn asked confusedly as she and her sister boarded the elevator at the Hotel Roma.

Buffy pushed the button and the elevator jerked into motion. "Gina told me that she saw a girl fighting vampires last night on her way home. She followed her here. I have to talk to her, help her understand what's happening," she lied smoothly.

Dawn nodded. She ran a finger lightly through her gently curled hair that Buffy had just finished working on back at the apartment and smoothed her new dress. "You didn't answer my second question. When am I going to see Connor?"

"Soon, he'll be back at the apartment waiting for you in an hour," she said as they exited the elevator on the fourth floor. She started down the hall, scanning the room numbers for 416, the room Connor had told her just moments earlier on her cell phone that he was waiting in. "This won't take long." She found the room and knocked lightly on the door. She turned to her sister and smiled softly. "You look beautiful Dawnie. Happy birthday."

Dawn started to respond, but the door swung open, interrupting her. She gasped in surprise as Connor reached out and took her hands, pulling her inside the room with him. "Thanks Buffy. I appreciate it."

"And that's my cue to leave. Have fun," Buffy said before Connor closed the door.

Dawn had her mouth hanging open in surprise. "You're kidding me! This was all a setup, there is no potential slayer or whatever? If so then my sister's a really good liar, maybe I should be worried..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed that he was just staring at her in silence. "Connor?"

He cleared his throat a little. "Um, sorry, it's just...you look so beautiful." She wore a royal blue knee length spaghetti strap dress. It was silk with lace over it, and at her midriff it was only plain lace, exposing just enough of her milky white skin underneath. Matching blue heels were on her feet, and her brown hair cascaded in gentle curls around her shoulders.

She smiled. "You like it?" She twirled around slowly, letting the flowy skirt fly out a little.

He smiled back. "I _love_ it. You look more beautiful than ever."

Dawn tried to peer over his shoulder into the room. "So what are we doing here? Is this my surprise?"

He took her hands. "Yes, it is. Now, close your eyes, and I will take you to one of the many surprises in store for you this evening."

She closed her eyes with a giggle. "I changed my mind. I like surprises."

He laughed as he gently led her into the main room of the suite. When she was positioned where he wanted her, he quietly whispered in her ear. "Open your eyes."

She gasped. "Oh my God...Connor, this looks delicious!" On the small table in the center of the room was what appeared to be an Italian feast: pasta, bread, sauce, even what looked like gourmet pizza. Two white candles sparkled in the middle of the table, and the lights were dimmed for a very romantic effect. Her eyes widened even further as she took in the rest of the room. A small fire was cackling warmly in the big fireplace, and comfortable looking couches and chairs filled the corners. A doorway to the side opened into what appeared to be a bedroom. She met his eyes, suddenly concerned. "Connor, how did you ever afford all of this? I mean, I know you have a job now, but this..." she simply threw up her hands.

He shook his head quickly. "Don't worry about it. There was actually a little mixup with the room, and I got upgraded to a suite for no extra cost...long story. But I don't want you to worry about. It's your birthday, and I wanted it to be extra special." He pulled her chair out for her. "Now sit, and eat."

She smiled as she sat in the chair. "I'm just speechless. This is all...it's so romantic. But oh my God! Buffy! You got _Buffy_ to help you plan to whisk me away to a hotel room unsupervised for my seventeenth birthday?" she squeaked.

He laughed as he started on a spoonful of pasta. "Your sister, she can be stubborn, but you just need to find the right way to persuade her. She wasn't sure at first, but she caved."

Dawn shook her head. "Wow. You are amazing." She picked up her own eating utensils and began to dig in. For a while the two of them sat there in the candlelight, happily eating. Finally Dawn put down her fork. "That was delicious. I don't think I can fit much more!"

He smiled. "We can always have more later." He paused, considering what to do next. Finally he stood and walked over to the stereo that sat on the mantle. He hit a few buttons and a slow, jazzy song filled the room. He turned to her and held out his hand. "May I have this dance."

She grinned. "Yes you may." He helped her out of her seat and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. She relaxed into him, wanting to savor this moment. They swayed slowly in time to the music.

"Do you remember the first time we danced?" Dawn said quietly.

He smiled, remembering the day fondly. "How could I forget? Christmas Eve."

"We danced, and kissed under the mistletoe. Then you told me that you loved me," she said blissfully. "At that moment I remember thinking that it couldn't get much better than this. But look at us now. Connor, we're living the dream. We're here in this beautiful city, we have each other...things couldn't be any better."

"I agree," he said huskily. He leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. The kiss quickly deepened, and she wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck in order to be closer to him. They finally broke apart slightly, gasping for air.

"What do you say we move this into the bedroom?" she whispered.

"I have a better idea," he said. "Come on." He took her hand and led her towards the doorway. They entered the bedroom, and then made another sharp turn, stepping into a huge, gleaming white bathroom. He stopped next to the big whirlpool tub that stood mounted in the center. "Only if you want to..."

She grinned giddily. "Of course I want to."

He grinned back. "I was hoping you would." He bent down and turned a few knobs, causing water to fill the tub, swirling around with warm-looking bubbles on the surface. He looked at her before slowly unbuttoning his shirt and letting it fall to the floor. He then started on his pants.

Dawn only hesitated a second before reaching behind her back to unzip her dress. She let it fall to the floor, and then removed her underwear. She realized briefly that only a few weeks ago, she had been self-conscious at the thought of standing naked before Connor, and now she did it comfortably. She watched as he finished removing his clothes and climbing into the tub. She followed suit, sitting next to him in the warm water that now covered her body. She turned to him for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and moved her so she was sitting sideways in his lap. "This is heaven," he muttered.

She sighed happily, resting her head on his shoulder as the warm water cascaded around them. "It is." For several minutes they just sat there in silence, enjoying the feeling of their bare skin against each other and the warm bubbles surrounding them. Then, unexpectedly, Connor kissed her. She welcomed the kiss, opening her mouth wider to allow his tongue access. They broke apart, panting.

"You're so beautiful," he muttered, running a wet finger over her shoulder and down the front of her body.

She shivered at his touch. "Mmmmmm...Connor, I want you." She kissed him again, more passionately this time. She gasped as he scooped up her naked body and stood up.

"Let's move this into the bedroom," he said, grabbing a towel and absentmindedly wiping some of the water off himself and his girlfriend in his arms before dropping it to the floor and proceeding into the bedroom. He lied her down on the bed, taking a moment just to take in the site of her. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him onto the king-sized bed with her. They kissed, and hands roamed freely, small moans escaping their lips.

"I love you," he panted.

"Show me," she whispered. And he proceeded to do just that.

> > > > > >

Several minutes later they collapsed, panting, back onto the bed. "Wow," Dawn breathed. "That was..."

"Amazing," Connor finished for her. He reached out and pulled her back into his arms, kissing the top of her head. They stayed like that for a minute while they both recovered.

"Connor, thank you so much...I couldn't think of a better birthday present than this, just time alone with you, without having to worry about being interrupted," she said quietly.

"Well, if this is the best present you could ask for, I guess you don't need anything else," he said with mock sadness.

Dawn sat up a little. "What? There's more presents?"

He shrugged casually. "Well, it's returnable, if you don't want it..."

"No, no, I want it!" Dawn said, sounding like a little girl on Christmas morning.

Connor laughed. "Okay. Don't go anywhere." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and hurried back into the main room of the suite. She leaned back on the pillow and pulled the covers up over her chest, grinning.

A moment later Connor returned, hopping back into bed with her and brandishing a small gift box. "It's not much, I just wanted to get you something...tangible."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "I think a lot of things we have done so far in this hotel are pretty tangible."

He grinned. "Definitely. But, just open it."

She peeled off the paper and lifted the lid off the small box. She gasped as she lifted the bracelet out of it. "I thought it kind of went with the necklace I gave you for Christmas. And look, it opens," he said, gesturing to the heart shaped locket that came off the chain bracelet. She opened it curiously and smiled widely when she saw the picture inside.

"It's us...the one Buffy took a few weeks ago!" Dawn said in delight. "I love it."

"I just thought it would be nice, you can carry a little piece of us everywhere with you. Especially once you start school," Connor said, saddened at the thought of his time with her being cut back.

She wrapped her arms around him. "I love it Connor, thank you so much." She planted a heartfelt kiss on his lips. "Can you put it on me?"

She held out her wrist and he fastened the silver bracelet around it. "It fits perfectly," she said happily. She pulled her knees up to her chest under the blankets. "I have decided that I am an official fan of surprises."

He laughed. "See, I told you."

She nodded. "This night has been so perfect. I'll never forget it."

He smiled. "Actually, if you can handle it, I have one more little surprise for you." He got up off the bed again, leaving her to watch in amusement as he ventured into the main room for the second time stark naked. He disappeared from view, and she waited patiently.

"Happy birthday Dawn," he said as he reemerged, holding a small tray with two chocolate cupcakes, one with a flaming candle burning proudly.

She clapped her hands once in delight. "Do I get to make a wish?"

He smiled, sitting next to her and carefully placing the tray on the bed. "Of course. You have to make it count though, you won't get another chance until you're eighteen."

She only had to think for a minute before the perfect wish came to her mind. Holding back her hair, she leaned over and gently blew out the candle.

> > > > >

TBC! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, lots of D/C joy. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon, I promise not to make you wait as long as you did for this one. I am going to get more into the plot soon, mixing things up a little to create some drama. Anything you would like to see, tell me in your review and I will definitely consider it. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter!


	8. Chapter 8: Make Me a Match

A/N: Okay, again so sorry for the long delay. But the good news is that school is out, just three exams to go and then I will have much more time to write. I was originally intending to start some drama in this chapter, but then this idea came to me, and I just had to go with it. I think you guys will like this chapter. Please continue to review and let me know what you think!

Dedication: To everyone who has been religiously reviewing this fic, it means so much to me!

> > > > >

Chapter 8: Make Me a Match

The sunlight streamed through the window and caressed Dawn's face lightly as she stirred from a peaceful sleep. Her eyes fluttered open and she immediately looked at the spot next to her. She grinned when she saw Connor smiling down at her.

"How long have you been awake?" she said sleepily.

"Just long enough to watch you sleep," he said simply. "You look so beautiful."

Dawn reached her hands up and patted her head. "You're sweet, but I know I have bed head. And probably morning breath."

He leaned in to kiss her. "You're perfect."

Her stomach rumbled slightly as they kissed. Connor laughed. "Don't worry, I ordered some room service."

Dawn collapsed back onto the bed. "I wish we could just stay here forever."

"Well, we can until noon. That's checkout. I would stay we could stay forever, but I doubt I could talk myself into another night here for the normal room fee, and forever...I definitely don't make that much."

"I know. This has just been so perfect. One of the best nights of my life."

"One of them?" Connor asked. "What are the others?"

She smiled as she thought. "Well, there's the first night we made love. That will always be very special to me. Then there is Christmas Eve, when you first told me you loved me and we fell asleep in your living room...remember, I was so worried Buffy would think we did something!" He laughed. "And then the night that we first kissed...in the garden at Angel's hotel. And this one isn't a night, but of course the day at the hotel when I saw you for the first time."

"You took my breath away," he said, stroking her hair.

"Well, it seems like you have a starring role in the top moments of my life. Do you feel special now?" she teased.

"I feel special whenever I'm with you," he said quietly.

She smiled at him. "You are so sweet. I thought guys weren't supposed to be this sweet."

"Well there's an exception to every rule." He leaned in and kissed her just as a knock sounded at the door. "That would be our food." He hopped up out of the bed and ran to the door. Dawn lied back on the pillow, grinning to herself.

"I have got to be the luckiest girl on the planet," she whispered.

"What?" Connor asked as he reentered the bedroom, pushing a cart full of food.

Dawn gaped. "Oh my God Connor, how much food did you order?"

"Well, I wasn't sure what you wanted...and I didn't want to wake you...so I got some options," he said, pushing the cart next to the bed. "There's eggs, omelettes, pancakes, french toast..."

"Yummy!" Dawn said. She sat up, pulling the sheets tighter around herself. She reached out and started shoveling some food onto a plate. "So, do you have to work today?"

"I don't know, I didn't tell them for sure. I might go in later though," Connor said as he started on a pancake. "It's not bad work, and I like to have the money."

"I'm very proud of you. You've been working so hard," Dawn said sincerely.

"I just want to make the best life possible for you," he replied. "I mean, Dawn, you're going into your last year of high school. You'll be an adult...we could get our own apartment, there's so much we could do."

She nodded. "I know...but I am really nervous about going to school here. I mean, senior year...if it's anything like the US, cliques and such are already established, what if there's nowhere for me to fit in?"

He reached out and cupped her chin. "Just be yourself. And if they have any brains, they'll love you."

She laughed. "I hope so...but then there's the whole language barrier thing."

"Oh, you are already picking it up so fast. And you still have another month or so before school starts."

"I know, but ordering a pizza is one thing, writing essays in a second language is something different entirely," she said with a sigh.

"Dawn...you don't need to worry about it. I have no doubt in my mind that you'll do great. Remember, together, we can get through anything." He squeezed her hand.

She thought for a moment. "I guess we have been through a lot...an apocalypse or two, moving across the world, my sister..."

He laughed. "Oh, Buffy's not that bad. I mean, I got you here."

"Yes, I give her a lot of credit...I mean, she's had a hard life. She has so much responsibility...and not nearly enough happiness. She needs some love," Dawn said honestly.

Connor sat back. "You know James from work that I told you about? Well, he is interested in your sister."

Dawn laughed. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I think he might be a little desperate. Besides, he listens to me rave about you, and figures that your sister must be pretty great too."

"Well you know what? You should invite him over. You never know," Dawn said hopefully.

"But wouldn't Buffy get mad?" Connor said warily.

"Well you don't have to tell her our real motives, just say that you wanted to invite your friend over for dinner. I'm sure she would be totally cool with it," Dawn insisted.

"Well maybe I will," he said with a shrug. "I guess it can't hurt anything. I just hope James doesn't have any real expectations..."

"Well hey, you never know. I never thought for a second that when Buffy shipped me off to LA for a week while she fought demons in Europe that I would end up finding the love of my life," Dawn said.

He smiled at her. "So I guess that sometimes you find love when you're not looking for it. But what about Angel?"

Dawn sighed. "I know my Buffy still loves him. I think she always will. But practically...she can't spend her whole life waiting for someone that she can't be with. I think some part of her realizes that. Maybe we just need to, you know, nudge her along." She suddenly collapsed back onto the pillow. "Oh my God, if I eat any more I'm going to burst."

Connor laughed. "It's alright. Maybe we can take some of it home." He moved the cart over to the corner of the room before sitting back down on the bed. "So, we still have a couple hours. What do you want to do?"

Dawn turned to face him, thinking. A grin slowly spread across her face. "We didn't really spend much time in that tub last night..."

Connor started to grin too. "Yeah, it would be a shame if we didn't get our money's worth." They just stared at each other for a second.

"Race you?" She bounced out of bed, dashing to the bathroom, with him running after her, both giggling the entire way.

> > > > >

An hour later, the two lovebirds slowly cleaned up the room, straightening the mussed bed and cleaning up their breakfast. Dawn zipped herself back into her blue dress. "I spent all that time yesterday picking out something to wear and I only had it on for a total of about an hour," she said with a laugh.

"Well, it is a very nice dress, but I prefer you without clothes," Connor joked.

Dawn tossed a pillow at him. "Just don't let Buffy hear you say that."

"Hey, I just made the bed," he said, putting the pillow back. "And sorry for being honest."

She fluffed her hair, which was still damp from their 'bath'. "So is our plan still on for tonight?"

"You mean our little matchmaking venture that could very easily blow up in our faces?" Connor said.

"Oh come on, it is going to be fine. Buffy never has to know the real reason you're inviting James." Dawn started to put her things back in her purse, glancing around the room for anything that may have been forgotten.

"And they probably won't even hit it off. I'll make sure James knows not to be too obvious," Connor said, pulling his shirt on over his head.

"Good," Dawn said, fastening her new bracelet around her wrist and holding it up to admire it in the light. "You know, for someone that supposedly hates shopping so much you're good at getting me presents."

Connor laughed. "Well I heard that you can't go wrong with jewelry."

She shook her head. "It's more than that. You put thought into this, with the picture of us and everything. Hey, maybe if the whole moving thing doesn't work out, you can get a job as a personal shopper." She shrieked as he threw the pillow at her.

"Just watch what you say," he joked. "Hey, it's noon, we should get going. Got everything?"

She nodded, looking around wistfully. "We made some good memories here."

He put his arm around her waist. "That we did." He slowly led her to the door and out into the hallway of the hotel.

> > > > >

Buffy glanced up from the tv when she heard the key slide in the lock. Her sister and Connor entered the apartment hand in hand, both looking _very_ happy. "It looks like someone had a good birthday," she said wryly, switching off the tv and leaning back.

"It was wonderful," Dawn said happily.

"Please spare me the details," Buffy begged.

"Oh, don't worry. We wouldn't want to traumatize you or anything," Dawn said lightly. She glanced at Connor. "But we did want to talk to you about something. Could we maybe consider getting one of those whirlpool tubs for here? Because they're really good for-"

"Stop! Please," Buffy said, putting her hands over her ears. Dawn and Connor laughed.

"Okay, we're sorry. We promise you won't have to hear any more about it," Connor said honestly.

"Thank you." Buffy glanced at the clock. "I have to go to work...but I'll be home before dinner." She started to grab her coat, and Dawn gave Connor a pointed look.

"Oh, um, Buffy, would it be okay if I invited my buddy James over for dinner tonight?" Connor asked hesitantly.

Buffy looked surprised. "Um, sure, I guess. Just make sure you tell him to come at like 7, Dawn can straighten up but I won't be home until then. And I guess I can pick up some food on the way."

Connor nodded. "Okay, cool."

Buffy nodded. "It'll be nice to have a guest. Dawn, make sure you make everything look nice. Anyway, I should get going, bye."

"Bye," Dawn and Connor called after her. When the door closed, they looked at each other, smiling. "Step one of Operation: Matchmaker is complete."

Connor laughed. "I still think this is a real longshot. I mean, James isn't exactly Buffy's type..."

"Hey, like I said, sometimes you find love when you least expect it," Dawn reminded him. "All we have to do is get them together, and see what happens. My sister _needs_ this."

"I agree. And you're right. What's the worst that could happen?" Connor said optimistically.

> > > > >

Two hours later

Rome Movers and Co

Connor walked into the garage and immediately made a beeline for James. "Hey man," he said.

"Connor! Hey, didn't think I'd see you today. So, how was last night?" he said knowingly.

Connor grinned. "It was great. Dawn loved everything. And we had fun."

"I'm sure you did. Hey, if you're here you should go let the boss know, we can get you in on a job."

"Yeah, but I wanted to ask you something." He paused. "I know you, er, expressed interest in meeting Dawn's sister, Buffy."

James raised an eyebrow. "Why? You're setting us up on a blind date?"

"Not exactly. But I did get the okay to invite you over to the apartment for dinner tonight," Connor continued.

"Awesome! So, did you tell her about me?" James asked excitedly.

"Um, James, Dawn and I discussed this, and we think that the best way to, uh, approach the situation is if Buffy doesn't know that you're interested in her before she meets you. Dawn and I are living proof that sometimes you find someone when you least expect it..."

"Gotcha. So I'll be discreet," he said with a shrug. "But thanks so much man, if she's anything like your girl I'm sure she's a winner."

> > > > >

The same time

Perfetto Café

"So busy today," Gina said simply as she and Buffy rushed to wash dishes before the next wave of customers.

"It is," Buffy said. "It'll be nice to go home and relax! But at least we're making lots of tips."

"How was Dawn's birthday?" Gina asked slowly.

"It was nice. Connor got a hotel room for them, and they got to spend some time together. She seemed really happy when they got home today."

"That's good. You're a good sister, you let Dawn do that."

Buffy laughed slightly. "Yeah, it took some persuading on Connor's part. But I figure that it won't help anything by saying no. But when they got home today, they seemed a little...weird. Almost like they have a secret or something."

"Secret?" Gina asked, confused.

"Something that you're keeping from someone else, not telling them," Buffy explained. She had a sudden thought. "Gina, how would you like to come over to my apartment for dinner tonight?"

Gina's eyes widened. "Oh, you no have to invite me..."

"Oh, but Connor's inviting a friend from work, so we're already having company. The more the merrier! Besides, you can tell Dawn happy birthday in person. It would be nice," Buffy insisted.

Gina considered that. "Okay. I come."

Buffy smiled. "Good. I'm sure we'll have a very nice evening."

> > > > >

Dawn lit two candles on the folding table that she had moved out into the middle of the living room. She stepped back and surveyed her work. "Perfect," she said happily. She smoothed her outfit, black pants and a blue top that was one of Connor's favorites. She adjusted the four chairs around the table, looking up when the door opened. Connor walked through the door, accompanied by James, who held a box from a bakery in his hand.

"Hey baby," Connor said, walking over and giving her a quick kiss. "You look great, the place looks great."

"Hi James," Dawn said, holding out her hand. "I'm Dawn."

"I've heard a lot about you," James said appreciatively, shaking her hand delicately. He glanced around. "Where's your sister?"

"Oh, Buffy will be home any minute. She's just getting off of work. Connor, did you..."

"Yes. James knows the plan, and he knows to be discreet," Connor said with a wink.

James looked nervous as he sat down, placing the dessert box he had brought as a courtesy on the table. "I just hope she likes me."

"Me too. Buffy, you see, she hasn't had that much luck in the love department. I think this might be just what she needs. But she can be...fickle," Dawn said, choosing her words carefully.

"It's okay. Wouldn't be my first rejection," the slightly awkward looking blonde said sadly.

"Just be yourself. You'll be fine," Dawn encouraged.

James looked at Connor. "Wow, you're lucky. She's even more special in person." Dawn and Connor both laughed. She straightened when she heard a key in the lock. "I think she's here!" She started to head towards the door but stopped when it opened. Dawn glanced over her shoulder in excitement, wanting to see James's first reaction upon seeing her sister. She was thrilled to notice that he seemed mesmerized and almost frozen to the spot. Looking to Connor to see if he had noticed, she frowned slightly when she saw Connor's confused expression. She followed James line of sight...past her sister who was carrying several take out bags and to a tall, dark haired beauty standing in the doorway.

"Gina?" Dawn blurted out, unintentionally sounding slightly rude.

The Italian girl instantly blushed. "I know this bad idea..."

"No, Gina, please stay, they're just surprised to see you, that's all," Buffy rushed, sitting the bags down on the table. James stands up in confusion, looking at the blonde.

"Wait..._you're _Buffy?" James asked.

Buffy smiled at him. "Yeah. And you must be James."

Dawn closed her eyes for a second, as she saw an image of their beautifully concocted plan going right down the _toletta_.

Connor glanced at Dawn only briefly before going to the door and motioning for Gina to enter the apartment. "Hey Gina. Why don't you come in and sit down?" Meanwhile, James had finished making small talk with Buffy, and was staring at Gina, who quite obviously was much more interesting to him. "Gina, this is my friend James."

"Ciao bella," James said in almost a whisper, holding out his hand. Dawn rolled her eyes from behind his back.

Gina blushed profusely as she accepted his hand, and turned an even brighter shade of red when he placed a kiss on it. "I-I'm Gina."

"And you're Italian," James said, sounding fascinated. Dawn sat down rigidly in a chair at the table and began removing the take out containers from the bags Buffy had brought.

"Yes," Gina said.

Connor sat down next to Dawn and whispered in her ear. "Looks like our little plan may have backfired."

Dawn nodded glumly. "Looks like Operation: Matchmaker is a failure."

"Not necessarily...just not with the right two people," Connor said.

"What?" Buffy asked, looking at them. "Did you guys say something?"

"No," Dawn said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Let's just eat." She watched as James pulled back a chair for Gina, and the two exchanged a smile. _They are kind of cute I guess_, she thought. Then she looked over at Buffy, who was quietly spooning pasta from a plastic container onto their plates. She sighed as she began to eat.

> > > > >

"Well thank you _very_ much for having me. This has been a wonderful evening," James said sincerely.

Dawn sat quietly in her chair. Dinner had mainly consisted of James flirting profusely with Gina, whom to her great surprise, was actually flirting back...or attempting to, with her somewhat limited English skills.

Buffy smiled at him as she carried the plates to the kitchen. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Gina, do you want me to walk you home?"

"No, it's okay. James can," Gina said, smiling at him.

James placed a hand on her lower back. "Yes, I would love to. So, thank you very much Buffy, Dawn. I'll see you tomorrow Connor."

"See you," Connor said, wrapping his arms around Dawn.

"Bye," Dawn called out weakly. The two of them exited the apartment, giggling together.

"Well they certainly seemed to hit it off," Buffy said once the three of them were alone. "I've never seen Gina that...relaxed before. I hope you guys don't mind that I invited her, I know I should have asked, but she would have just gone home by herself and I figured no one would mind."

"No, it's perfectly fine," Dawn said quietly. She stood up. "I think I'm going to go to bed now. It's been a long day."

Buffy looked at her quizzically. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Dawn said with a little smile. She headed towards her bedroom that she shared with Connor.

Once the door closed he headed over to the kitchen to help Buffy clean up from dinner. "Connor, is Dawn okay? She seemed kind of quiet during dinner."

He sighed. "Yeah..." He thought for a moment. "Well, you weren't supposed to know about this. But Dawn's been worried about you lately. She thinks you need someone in your life. You know. And I mentioned to her that James wanted to meet you because he hears me talk about how great Dawn is all the time, and she thought that maybe we could introduce you. But then Gina came..."

"I see," Buffy said quietly, suddenly understanding. "That's really sweet though. But I'm fine, really, and I've tried the whole relationship thing, never works out..."

"But things are different now. You're not the only slayer. This isn't Sunnydale," Connor reminded her. "So, just please, for Dawn, try and be more open. We get that the James thing didn't work out, it was a longshot anyway. But we just want you to be happy."

"Really?" Buffy said softly.

"Yes. Your sister cares a lot about you. And whatever Dawn wants, I want," Connor said honestly.

Buffy looked at him. "You are your father's son." There was a brief silence between them. "Anyway, why don't you go be with Dawn...but not like that, I'm right here, and these walls aren't that thick..."

Connor laughed. "I know. I'll talk to her. Good night."

"Good night," Buffy said. As he disappeared into the bedroom she leaned back against the counter, now alone in the dark apartment, considering what had just been said.

> > > > >

Dawn sat up in the bed when Connor entered the room. "I heard that. You were really sweet."

"I hope you don't mind that I told her, I just didn't want her to think that you were acting weird because you're pregnant or something," Connor said with a smirk.

Dawn smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "And it's fine. Maybe now she can go find herself a man and we won't have to do it for her." Connor laughed.

She relaxed back onto the pillow. "I just feel so bad...I mean it must be bad enough for her to see us so happy right in front of her face every day. And now Gina will be all glowy at work, and that will just make Buffy feel worse."

He rubbed her back. "I don't think she feels bad. I think she's almost gotten used to being alone."

"No one should have to do that," she said quietly.

He lied down next to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the top of her head. "I agree." They stayed like that in silence until they both fell asleep.

> > > > >

TBC!

I will try to have the next chapter up sooner without a big delay. I hope to get some more plot-like stuff rolling in chapter 9...you'll see. PLEASE REVIEW!


	9. Chapter 9: Interesting Customers

A/N: I am so sorry...it's been a really long time. Some real life stuff happened that required my full attention. But don't worry, I'll try my best to not let it happen again.

This chapter gets some plot stuff in motion...so please just bear with me...and remember, what fun would a fic be if there isn't at least a little drama? You've had 8 chapters of almost pure fluff so far...anyways, just read. And I swear, I'm really _not_ evil. -angelic grin-

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter: Sanity Fair (good job catching the Wonderfalls reference in the chapter title), Katie, freezyboncoolipants, daybreak and destructo boy, spk, IllyriaJem, and Dawn. You guys are the best. And again, sorry for the long wait.

> > > > >

Chapter 9: Interesting Customers

Friday, August 21st, 2003

Six weeks later

"No, you're wrong," Dawn insisted.

Connor frowned. "No I'm not. You're wrong."

Dawn gave a heaving sigh. "For the last time Connor...I love _you_ more."

"Oh will you two _please_ cut it out?" Buffy begged from her spot in the kitchen.

Connor laughed. "Sorry Buffy. I'm leaving now." He leaned in and gave Dawn and lingering kiss. "Bye Dawn."

"Bye baby," she said, grasping his hand before he exited the apartment. When he was gone she sighed happily and headed to the couch, where she sat down and began flipping through an American magazine they had found at a local vendor. Buffy watched her intently, to the point where Dawn met eyes with her sister. "What are you staring at?"

"You. I think being in love agrees with you," Buffy said with a smile.

Dawn couldn't help but grin. "It really does. I mean, I just wonder what I did to get this lucky. I just never dreamed I would find someone like Connor, not this early in life at least."

"You are lucky. And it's good that you don't take that for granted," Buffy replied.

Dawn immediately felt bad upon hearing her sister's comment. She sat up straighter and put the magazine down. "I'm sorry Buffy. I'm a jerk, going on and on about how great love is when..." her voice trailed off as she realized there was no kind way to end the sentence.

"When I'm sitting here alone," Buffy concluded for her. "Dawn, it's okay. You know I want you to be happy. You don't need to feel guilty. Stop worrying about me. I'm the big sister, I'm supposed to worry about you."

Dawn slowly crossed the room to sit in the kitchen stool opposite her sister. "But I can't help it. It must be so hard for you to see me with Connor all the time, especially considering who he is."

Buffy gave her a look. "Dawn, you know I'm over that."

"Sure, maybe you got used to it. But I know it's always going to be hard, especially living with him, because he's a living, breathing reminder of Angel," Dawn said quietly.

Buffy sighed. "Dawnie, Angel and I are of the past. We both know it could never work."

"But I know you still love him. And he still loves you. And I know it must be so hard to get past something like that. But have you ever considered...you know, getting back out there?"

Buffy tilted her head. "Dawn, I tried that. Remember Parker? Riley? Even Spike? Remember how swell those relationships went?"

"But things are different now. Last I checked, there's no Hellmouth under Rome. And you're not the only slayer now! You don't have that stopping you from having a normal life."

"Dawnie, my life will never be normal."

"But it could be closer," Dawn insisted. "Giles and Willow and everyone are working with the new slayers. They have it under control. You do your part, and you deserve to have some time to yourself. There is nothing stopping you from going out."

"With guys? Easier said than done. Even though it's not a Hellmouth, there are many other kinds of monsters out there," Buffy said pessimistically.

Dawn groaned. "Buffy, you're not working with me here! Look, I agree that maybe the James thing was a bad idea."

"Don't even get me started on that. How old is he? Like sixteen?"

Dawn glared. "He's twenty. He's in college. But anyway, I see now that was a bad move. Too soon and sudden. So I won't try to fix you up anymore if you promise to just put the effort in yourself. But if you don't, I'll have to step in," she said with a shrug.

Buffy looked at her affectionately. "You're sweet. You really are. But I really don't need a guy in my life right now." She glanced at the clock. "I should be going to work. You okay here by yourself?"

"Just as okay as I've been here by myself for the past two and a half months," Dawn said dryly.

Buffy gave her a quick smile. "Bye Dawnie. Call if you need anything."

"Bye Buffy," she said as her sister walked out the door. When she was alone she trudged back over to the couch and sat down with a sigh.

Since her birthday, things had been pretty uneventful. Connor and Buffy had been working, and most of Dawn's time had gone towards working on her Italian to prepare for her senior year of high school, which would begin in a mere two weeks. The prospect of going to an Italian school was terrifying, but not nearly as terrifying as the idea of not knowing everyone. By senior year everyone was sure to be in their own little cliques, with no room for adjustment. But then she figured it couldn't be much worse than Sunnydale High. Except that at least there they had spoken English.

Even though her and Connor's master plan to fix up Buffy and James had completely backfired, it had worked out good in the respect that Gina and James were now practically attached at the hip. Buffy and everyone else who worked at the Perfetto Café agreed that Gina had never been happier. Dawn and Connor had even gone on a couple of double dates with the pair.

But as much as Buffy tried to convince her otherwise, Dawn knew her sister was lonely. All she did was go from home to work, to patrolling with Gina, to long phone calls with Giles, Willow, and Xander about their progress in the mission to train the new slayers. Dawn knew that Buffy missed the old Sunnydale gang dearly. And so did she. But at least she had Connor. Buffy didn't have anyone.

Angel called about once a week to check in. It was obvious that Buffy looked forward to his calls. Whenever the phone would ring when it was about time for him to be calling again her eyes would brighten. Yet when she hung up she looked sadder than ever.

Dawn's heavy thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She got up and quickly crossed the room. "I wonder what she forgot this time," she muttered, swinging open the door. "Oh, hi Gina! Um, Buffy just left."

The dark haired girl shook her head. "I'm not here to see Buffy. I want to talk to you."

Dawn blinked in surprise. Although they had hung out with their respective boyfriends together, she didn't quite consider Gina a friend. She was still convinced that the Italian girl was holding a grudge over Dawn's less-than-welcoming treatment at their first meeting. But they had both been making an effort. "Sure, come in." Gina entered the apartment, standing there awkwardly for a moment before being beckoned over to the couch by Dawn. "Here, sit. What did you want to talk about?"

Gina looked like she was carefully choosing her words before she spoke. "I need to know how to be good girlfriend," she rushed, blushing slightly.

Dawn couldn't help but smile. "Gina, I'm sure you're a great girlfriend. James adores you. Connor says you're all he talks about."

She smiled a little at that. "I know. I go on dates and we...kiss. But..." she seemed to be struggling with words. "I no know what to do next."

Dawn was slightly confused by her words. "Well I would just keep doing what you're doing..."

Gina shook her head. "No. Not like that. I mean...I think James want to make relationship bigger."

Dawn took a moment to process what seemed to be a rough translation to English. "Bigger...wait, you mean...take it to the next level?" she asked hesitantly.

Gina nodded, clearly relieved to have gotten her point across. "Yes. I think he not happy with just kissing."

Dawn took a deep breath, trying to figure out the best way to explain this. "Gina...you have only been together with James for six weeks. It's not a very long time."

"But it feels longer," Gina insisted. "I...I think I love him," she admitted with a blush.

Dawn smiled. "Really? Well I'm happy for you. But still...what you're talking about, it's a big step. Have you ever...been with anyone like that before?"

Gina shook her head sheepishly. "James is my first boyfriend."

"Well, that's okay. And it was pretty much the same situation with Connor and I. But what's most important is that you wait until you feel ready. Sex is a big step, and the last thing you want to do is regret it later," Dawn said responsibly.

"How long do you wait? With Connor?" Gina questioned.

"Six months," Dawn said. "We waited until it felt right. And I'm so glad we did."

Gina seemed very surprised to hear that. "Six months is long time...I thought that in America, girls...weren't like that."

The former Key laughed out loud. "American stereotypes still crack me up. That might be true for some girls, but not me at least." She hesitated. "But Gina, James hasn't...pressured you, has he? Tried to make you do anything you don't want to do?"

Gina shook her head very quickly. "Oh, no. James has been so good to me. He wouldn't. I just wanted talk to you because you know how to be a girlfriend."

Dawn smiled humbly. "Well I think you seem to be doing just fine yourself."

"So what do I do?" she asked bluntly.

"Well, I would just see how things go. You need to wait until you feel one hundred percent ready, and there's nothing wrong with talking to James about this. Connor and I discussed it. And it made me feel so much better when I knew that he wanted to wait too," Dawn admitted.

Gina considered that. "I take your advice. Thank you Dawn."

Dawn smiled. "No problem. And if you ever want to talk again, I'm here."

Gina stood up. "I know. I have to go to café now. But Dawn, promise you keep secret."

She made a motion of zipping her lips and throwing away the key. "I promise."

Gina nodded, satisfied as Dawn walked her to the door. They said their goodbyes and then she was gone. When Dawn was alone once again, she sighed. "Just call me Love Doctor Dawn." She really thought it was sweet that Gina was in love with James and so concerned about doing everything right. But she had never really thought of herself and Connor as such a model couple before...but she supposed that they did pretty much have the ideal relationship, or at least as close as you could get.

> > > > >

"So how are things with Gina?" Connor asked James, as they kicked around the garage waiting for their assignments.

He grinned. "Awesome. She's just such an amazing girl...she's unlike anyone I've ever met before."

"She is special. And I this means a lot to her. From what I've heard she's never really had anyone she could count on before," Connor said. "I'm happy for you guys."

Before James could respond, Steve walked over to tell them their assignments. "Hey boys. You've got an assignment out in the new development off of Rosa Strada. Family just moved here from the States, moving into a big honking new house. From what I hear they're loaded, it'll probably be a few day job to get them settled in, they're having their stuff delivered in waves and want help getting everything in the house. It's a little bit of a different job, but I'm sure they'll tip well and appreciate that you speak English."

Connor nodded. "Sounds good." The two of them headed for one of the trucks. "It'll be nice to see some people speaking English." Almost all of their clients usually spoke Italian, limiting the amount of interaction they could have with them.

"And they're rich, probably pay us a fortune to move around their crystal chandeliers and whatnot," James joked as they took off for the outskirts of the city.

> > > > >

James put his foot on the brakes and maneuvered slowly once the new housing development. The very modern houses appeared very expensive, definitely in the very upper class price range. Situated around a cul-de-sac, the neighborhood looked pretty quiet, almost like something out of the Stepford Wives. Only Italian. But it was very clear when they reached their destination. "Woah," Connor said.

"Understatement of the year," James muttered as he pulled to a stop. The house they had been assigned to had several large airmail trucks parked in front, with delivery men carrying boxes and furniture and placing it onto the lawn. A second later, a tall, striking woman in stilettos and a designer suit came flying out of the house, her long blonde hair streaming behind her.

"What are you doing? Not on the lawn! We just had this treated!" she shrieked. "Have you no common sense?" The six or so delivery men just stared at her, baffled.

Connor stepped forward, addressing the delivery men. "Do you guys speak English?" They all either stared blankly or shook their heads no, confirming his suspicion. "Okay...James?"

His friend stepped forward and quickly spoke a few sentences in Italian. It worked like magic, and the men immediately began moving the boxes off of the spotless lawn and onto the sidewalk.

The woman quickly approached Connor and James, appearing very relieved. "Thank you so much young men. It's a nightmare, no one here speaks English!" They both tried to suppress a laugh as she extended her perfectly manicured hand towards them, a large diamond ring gleaming in the sun. "Temira Tyman. I assume you're the movers we requested? We specifically asked for English speaking men."

"Yeah, that's us. I'm Connor, and this is James," he said as they both shook her hand.

"And where are the rest of you?" Temira asked, peering behind the truck as if expecting a line of English speaking movers to appear, ready to do her bidding.

"Um, we're all we have, ma'am. But we're very good, just tell us what you need," James said professionally.

She made a clucking noise with her tongue. "Humph. Well you have your work cut out for you boys. We have an entirely empty house that needs to be filled. You'd best get started. Start with the furniture. My husband and daughter are inside. They should be able to tell you where to put things." She turned on her heel and strutted away to hover over the delivery men.

James raised an eyebrow. "Interesting lady."

"Why am I thinking that we're going to earn every cent of a tip we get," Connor muttered as they started to pick up a leather couch. James laughed.

They moved it with ease inside the gaping doors of the black and white painted house. They entered a large foyer, vacant except for a few scattered boxes. A tall, Italian looking man looked up from an open box. "Hello, you must be our movers. Richard Tyman. You can just put that in the living room, back there." He gestured over his shoulder into a huge, open room with many windows. They nodded in acknowledgment and carried the couch into the room, placing it against the wall near the windows. They turned and headed back outside, where Mrs. Tyman was still bossing around the very confused looking delivery men, apparently still oblivious to the fact that they could not understand a word she was saying. They picked up a bed, and slowly carried it into the house, having to turn it sideways to get it through the door. They paused in the foyer.

"This probably belongs upstairs," Connor said.

"That's right boys," sounded a voice from the top of the stairs.

They both looked up to see a stunning tall brunette perched at the top of the staircase with one hand on her hip. She wore jeans with a brown midriff-baring halter top, and gold heels. Her long hair fell past her shoulders in perfectly coifed waves. She had a confident smile on her face, almost a smirk even. "You can bring that right on up."

Connor fell forward slightly and a loud thud sounded as James promptly dropped his end of the bed. It was clear that he was mesmerized by this new presence. Connor rolled his eyes. "James? Let's get this upstairs."

"Oh, right," he said quickly, picking the bed back up. They began to move it up the stairs. When they reached the top the brunette was standing there waiting, pointing to an open door.

"In here please," she said sweetly. They obliged, carrying it in and placing it in a clear spot amid a room that had some half unpacked boxes scattered about. "Perfect! I'm guessing you're the movers my parents hired..." She gave them both an appraising, once-over glance, and appeared satisfied. "You boys certainly don't look Italian."

Connor spoke, realizing that James was probably still somewhat incoherent. "No, we're Americans."

"Well you came to the right place! So are we. Just moved here from Miami..." she gave a dramatic sigh.

"And you are?" James croaked suddenly.

Again she flashed that huge, innocent smile. "Kerri Tyman." She paused. "If you wouldn't mind...I need some help in here. I want to put some of these boxes up in the closet, and I can't quite reach."

"Well there's a lot of stuff downstairs waiting to be brought in too," Connor said reluctantly.

"Then you can stay here and help me, and your friend can go help the rents," she said easily.

James could barely hide his disappointment. "Okay...Connor, don't take too long."

"I won't," Connor retorted as James scurried from the room.

Kerri sat on the bed, crossing her legs delicately. "I don't think I caught your name."

"Connor," he said with a flash of a smile. "So what did you need help with?"

"Well Connor, I'm impressed. Your friend there was practically drooling over me. So immature. But you, very cool and collected," she said mysteriously.

He frowned. Was this girl seriously priding him on not fawning over her beauty? "I have a girlfriend," he said without thinking.

To his surprise Kerri tilted her head back and laughed airily. "Gosh, you think I would really put the moves on a guy I just meant? I was just commenting. But that's sweet. You seem very committed. Must be a lucky girl."

"She is," he said impatiently. "What did you need moved?"

She stood up and slowly walked towards him. "You're a feisty one, aren't you? Never quite met a guy like you before."

He instantly took a step back. "Look, I don't know what you're after, but I'm not interested."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who says I'm 'after' anything? Maybe I'm just lonely. I mean after all I did just leave my entire life, all my friends, my own country to move across an ocean...and I'm just pleasantly surprised that the first cute guy I meet happens to speak English."

He considered that. Was it possible she really was just lonely? He looked at her: he eyes appeared very innocent as she stared at him. Her gaze was piercing, and he had the odd sensation that she could see right into him.

"But if you're so eager to get to work, you can put those boxes over there up in the closet," she said, not breaking the gaze.

Eager to step away, he picked up two of the said boxes and hoisted them onto the top shelf of the walk-in closet. "So, when did you move to Italy, Connor?" Kerri asked, sitting on her bed once more.

"Almost three months ago," he said, reaching for another box.

"Why Rome?" she asked innocently, now filing her nails.

"Moved here with my girlfriend and her sister...just needed a change. Our lives in California kind of...went downhill," he said dryly, picturing the huge crater formerly known as Sunnydale in his head.

"You live with your girlfriend? Wow. How old is she?"

He paused to look at Kerri. "Seventeen. She'll be going into her senior year here in a couple weeks."

"Oh my gosh! Me too! The public school right in the city?" He nodded. "I'll probably see her around then," Kerri said enthusiastically. "What about you? Are you a student?"

"No, I just work for the moving company," he said nonchalantly. "What about you? Why did you move to Rome?"

She sighed loudly. "Well you'll never hear this version from my parents. But my dad was cheating. My mom made him pack up and move here to get him away from the other woman. But I don't think that was the smartest move ever, considering he's Italian and he'll probably only find the Italian women more appealing."

Connor stared at her in embarrassed shock. He had just met this girl five minutes ago, why was she being so painfully honest about something so personal that must have been very painful? "Wow...that must have been hard for you."

She shrugged. "I'm independent. Doesn't bother me much." But he noticed a flicker of something in her eyes...was it sadness?

He walked closer to her. "But it must be...something like that can't not affect you."

She looked down. "Hey, maybe downplaying is my way of dealing."

Again, he was shocked yet impressed by her brutal frankness. "Well I don't exactly have the best family situation either. My mom died in childbirth, and my dad...well I grew up thinking someone else was my dad. When I found out the truth I was messed up pretty bad. Things with my real dad still aren't that great, but we're working on it. More or less."

"Is he back in the States?" she asked softly.

Connor sat down next to her and nodded. "Los Angeles. But I've got a good thing going here, with Dawn, and Buffy. That's her sister."

She nodded. "You're lucky." She hesitated. "I have a confession to make."

He looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I didn't really need those boxes moved," she said coyly. "I just thought you looked interesting...and I suppose I'm lonely."

"That's understandable. You're going through a rough time in your life," he said quietly. "But still, most girls just don't pour their hearts out to the moving guy."

The airy laugh emitted once more. "Well I guess that shows how pathetic I am."

"No, I think it's impressive. I've never been that good at talking about my feelings," he said honestly.

"It's hard to do. Especially when you're not used to doing it," Kerri said quietly. Connor could have sworn she moved a little bit closer to him on the bed. All sorts of thoughts whirled through his mind, and he briefly wondered if he should get up. "You should get back to work now," she said, almost down to a whisper.

He took that as his cue to get up, not unaware of how close she had gotten to him. "Do you need anything else moved?"

She shook her head. "No. Like I said, I was just lonely. And you looked interesting."

"Interesting...not sure if I should take that as a compliment," he half joked.

She grinned. "It's meant as one."

He started to move towards the door. "Well...I'll see you around Kerri."

"Ciao!" she said sweetly. He exited the room. Once she heard his feet descending the stairs she flopped back onto the bed, a devious, pleased smile spreading across her face.

Connor found James moving furniture into the living room. Richard Tyman was nowhere in sight. "Hey man, so what were you doing up there all that time?" James said, managing to sound interested, concerned, and jealous all at the same time.

"Just talking. She's an interesting girl. Definitely not shy," Connor said earnestly. "But I feel bad for her. I think she's lonely, sounds like she's been through a lot."

James raised an eyebrow. "From the looks she was giving you, it seemed like she wanted much more than a sympathetic ear."

"C'mon, just because she's...pretty and seemed a little...forward doesn't mean that's what she wants," Connor said, shaking his head.

"I believe 'pretty' is quite the understatement," James said with a smirk.

"You know, there's this girl I think you might know. Her name's Gina? Italian, dark hair, about yay high..." Connor waved his hand in the air near his chin.

James smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey, you know I'm crazy about her. But that doesn't mean I don't have eyes. I'm still a guy after all. And so were you last I heard."

"You know I'm one hundred percent committed to Dawn," Connor said firmly.

"Yeah, but you spent an awful long time up there with Miss Kerri Tyman. You had to be at least interested."

"In what she had to say, yes. I know what it's like to need someone to talk to when you feel really alone in the world," he said defensively, flashing back to his first days after returning from Quortoth.

"Whatever you say man. Hey, miss tall, blonde, and commanding said we're free to go. Just have to be back tomorrow by nine o'clock sharp," James said, starting for the door.

They exited the house and were immediately approached by Temira Tyman. She pressed a crisply folded twenty into each of their hands. "Thank you boys. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Your welcome," Connor said, feeling a pang of sympathy for her when he remembered what Kerri had told him about their reasons for relocating. "We met your daughter. She seems very nice," Connor said suddenly.

Mrs. Tyman seemed to stiffen slightly. "Oh, met Kerri, did you. Well you'll have to excuse her. She's been through a lot, with the move and all."

Connor frowned a little. "No, we actually had a nice conversation."

She nodded very quickly. "Well isn't that nice. I should be going. Ciao boys." And as soon as she had come she had swept off back into the house.

James cocked his head. "That was strange."

"Tell me about it," Connor said, deep in thought. "Well, we'd better go. We've been here long enough." They hopped into their truck and slowly drove away.

Upstairs in the house, Temira walked swiftly into her daughter's bedroom, where Kerri was sprawled on the bed reading a fashion magazine. "I heard you met our movers. I hope you behaved yourself. They were very efficient. Wouldn't want to have to find other help."

Kerri stared at her mother in mock hurt. "Mother! Now what danger would they be in from little old me?"

The older woman placed her hands on her hips. "I suppose you didn't tell them the real reason we moved to Italy?"

She smiled coyly. "So what if I did?"

> > > > >

Dawn jumped up from the couch the second Connor got home, running to his arms to give him a kiss. "I missed you!" she said, wrapping her arms around him.

He closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. "I missed you too." They pulled apart slightly. "So what did you do today?"

She shrugged. "Not much. Gina stopped by earlier. She wanted to talk. Girlfriend stuff."

He nodded. "I see. How did that go?"

"Good, I think. I'm pretty sure I gave good advice. And how about you? Meet any interesting customers?" she asked, holding his hands.

"Yeah, American family that just moved into a new development...rich. The daughter's your age. She's going to school next month too. We had a nice chat."

Dawn gave him a mock suspicious look. "Nice chat? Should I be jealous?"

"Of course not. You know I love you. But Kerri, I felt bad for her. Sounds like she's been through a lot."

"Haven't we all," Dawn said sadly. She leaned in to kiss him. "Well I'll say hello to her if I see her in school. Sounds like she could use some friends."

"She could," Connor agreed. He leaned in to kiss her. "I'm going to miss you when you go back to school."

She groaned. "I'll miss you too! It's going to suck."

"But hey, it's your last year. And I'm sure it will be a good experience for you. We'll just have to make up for the lost time at night," he said with a smirk.

She laughed. "Wonder how hard it would be to convince Buffy to start working nights?"

He wrapped his arms around her. "Well we'll find time to be alone. We've been managing just fine so far." He thought a minute. "Now that I think about it...we're alone right now."

"I suppose we are," she said calmly. "What do you suggest?"

"This," he said, scooping her up in his arms as she shrieked with delight. He carried her off to the bedroom so they could enjoy the alone time.

> > > > >

TBC!

Okay...I can't say I didn't warn you. :-) Please review, I'm really wondering what you guys are going to think of this latest chapter. And I promise to update soon this time! For real!


	10. Chapter 10: Close Encounters

A/N: Here we go, chapter 10! This is an especially long one for you guys. And I wrote the entire thing in the past two days...I'm on a roll! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter...I don't really know what else to say so I'm just going to say go read! But I am glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. More about Kerri will be revealed, and I think its safe to say she will have a big impact on this story. Also, I understand you guys miss the Sunnydale gang...I do have an appearance planned by one person for a future chapter, but you might be surprised as to who. My lips are sealed. But I'm just wondering, who would you most like to see visit? As always, thanks for your feedback, it truly helps me write faster.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 9: Sanity Fair, Moonjava, Daybreak and destructo boy, Katie, Freezyboncoolipants, and IllyriaJem (here's another Connor-centric chapter for ya! XD)

> > > > >

Chapter 10: Close Encounters

Saturday, August 22nd, 2003

The next day Dawn and Buffy sat quietly in the kitchen, finishing breakfast. Connor had already gone on to work. "So, how's work been?" Dawn asked Buffy, eager to break the silence.

"Fine. I think it's really helping my Italian. And the work is really easy. Pastries are much easier to deal with than hormonal teenagers," Buffy said dryly.

Dawn smiled. "Well hey, you never know. Maybe when I get into school they'll be looking for a counselor."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Dawnie, I can barely give decent advice in English."

Dawn sighed. "Well I just wish you would get out more, that's all."

Buffy stared indignantly. "Hey, I get out plenty."

Her younger sister rolled her eyes. "Sure. Home, work, graveyard, home, work, graveyard..."

"Hey, occasionally I go shopping," Buffy said in her defense. As Dawn was about to argue the phone rang, and the eldest Summers snatched it up. "Hello?"

"Buffy. Hey."

She closed her eyes briefly, letting herself enjoy the comforting sound of his voice. "Hi Angel." Dawn grinned and flashed her sister a thumbs up sign before obediently retreating to her bedroom to allow her sister some privacy.

"So, how are you?" Angel asked hesitantly.

Buffy sat down on the couch, cradling the phone to her ear. "Better than ever. You?"

"I'm fine. I miss you," he said quietly.

She felt the familiar pang in her heart that she always felt upon hearing his voice, seeing him, or even thinking of him. "I miss you too." There was a long pause in the conversation, however it could not be called awkward silence. It was simply a silence in which two people that knew everything about each other didn't need to speak words to convey their emotions.

He cleared his throat. "So, how are Connor and Dawn?"

"They're good. Connor's at work. Things are going really well with the moving company, he seems to like it and he's making good money. And Dawn's getting ready to start school in a few weeks."

"How is their...their relationship?"

Buffy smiled. She knew he couldn't see her, but she hoped he could feel it in her voice. "Going strong."

"Good. I'm glad." He hesitated. "And how are you? How's work?"

"Not bad. You know Gina, the slayer that I work with? Well she's doing great. We go patrolling together. She's really come a long way. And on top of that she's dating one of Connor's friends now."

"That's nice. Have you found any other slayers?" Angel asked.

"No, not as of yet. But I think my fellow former Scoobies are having much more luck in that department."

"How is everyone? Willow, and the rest of your friends?"

"They're good I think. I've talked to Willow a few times. She's still in Brazil with Kennedy...but I don't know, the last time I talked to her she sounded a little...strained. I think they might be having problems. But otherwise they're doing well, they're working with a few slayers down there. And Xander's in Africa. I've only talked to him twice, but Willow said he's doing well. And Giles and everyone else are in London, they're doing really well, Giles is even working on rebuilding the council, so it's kind of like Slayer Central again."

"That's great. And how are things withe apartment? Do you guys need anything?"

"No. We're really doing fine. We have actual income now. Your gift gave us time to get off our feet, and I'll be forever grateful for that. But we're good now."

"You know I'd do anything for you."

She swallowed. "I know. And that means more to me than you'll ever know." There was another long pause. "So, how is everyone in LA?"

"Good. We're helping the helpless as usual," he said, with a slight note of humor in his voice.

She smiled at that. "And no one has ever done it better."

"Okay, you're probably not going to like me asking this...but how's Faith?" Angel said hesitantly.

Buffy thought a moment. "I actually haven't heard from her. But I assume she's okay...we're not exactly the best of friends in case you didn't notice. And why would you think I wouldn't want you to ask?"

"Come on Buffy, we both know the answer to that," he said gently.

She sighed. "That's ancient history. I know that there wasn't anything...between you two. You just have a bond because of the whole redemption thing and I accept that."

"Good. Because I remember a time when you weren't so sure."

She thought back to painful times in Sunnydale: Angel's charade to learn Faith's true colors that led to him kissing her...she still felt physical pain at the memory of being forced to watch that. "Angel, I'm a different person now. And Faith and I, I think we came to sort of an understanding those last few weeks in Sunnydale."

"I know Buffy...none of us is the same as we were back then. But some things...will never change."

_Translation: I'll always love you_, she thought sadly, interpreting the obvious meaning behind his cryptic words. "You're right. Some things will never change." Another silence filled the phone line.

"Well I guess I'll let you go...but Buffy, could you maybe tell Connor...if he has time...to maybe, think about calling? I'd just like to hear his voice," Angel admitted.

She nodded. "Will do." Another pause. "Goodbye Angel."

"Goodbye Buffy." There was another silence, with neither of them wanting to hang up and break the connection, no matter how distant. Finally, Buffy hung up the phone and placed it back in its proper spot, closing her eyes for a moment. Talking to Angel gave her such mixed emotions; part of her was greatly comforted and refreshed by simply talking to him and hearing his voice, but it also made the pain of not being able to be with him come rushing to the surface all over again.

Dawn slowly emerged from the bedroom. "So, how is he?"

She looked up at her. "Good." She glanced at the clock. "Wow, its getting late already. And I need to go run a few errands before work." She started gathering her things hurriedly.

Dawn frowned in concern. "Do you want to talk? Because I think you need to."

"No, I'm fine, really. Just busy." She leaned in and gave her sister a quick kiss on the forehead. "Bye Dawnie. See you later." And with that she was gone, leaving Dawn to stare after her worriedly.

> > > > >

Meanwhile, Connor and James were pulling the moving van into the Tyman residence for the second straight day. "So, you plan on hanging out with Kerri again?" James said nonchalantly.

Connor gave him a strange look. "What do you mean by 'hanging out'?"

"I don't know, whatever you guys were doing up in her room for all that time yesterday," he said as he switched off the ignition. Today was quieter outside, only one delivery truck was parked outside, and there were no people in sight.

"James, we already had this discussion," Connor said, sounding slightly impatient. "But in case you forgot, let me simplify it for you. I love Dawn. Kerri and I were just talking. She needs a friend."

"Hey, you're the one going all defensive," James said, hopping out of the truck and starting up the walkway.

Connor sighed, hurrying to catch up. "Hey man, I'm sorry if I snapped..."

"No, it's alright. I get it, maybe I was out of line. Let's just forget it, okay?" James said. Connor nodded in agreement as they stepped in the open door, into a sea of expensive-looking furniture and unpacked boxes. Temira Tyman stepped out from the living room, wearing a perfectly pressed royal blue pantsuit. "Hello gentlemen. I could use your help moving things upstairs today. Connor, why don't you help myself and Mr. Tyman with our bedroom furniture," she said hastily.

Connor started to nod, but a clear voice sounded from behind him before he could.

"It's okay mother, I'm sure I can find things for Connor to do. You can have his little friend."

Right then several things happened at once: Connor and James whirled around to see Kerri standing there, a polite yet slightly mischievous smile on her face; Mrs. Tyman made a strange noise that was something between a cough and a hiccup, and James muttered "who's she calling little?" just loud enough for Connor to hear.

"Darling, I thought your room was settled," Mrs. Tyman said in an odd tone.

Kerri smiled sweetly. "No, I still need my dresser and desk brought up. And I'm sure Connor would just love to assist me with that."

Not wanting to start an argument, Connor nodded his head. "Sure, I can help you Kerri."

She smiled in delight. "Perfect! Now you can just bring that white desk right over there up to my room. I'm sure you remember where it is. Meet ya there!" Then she sauntered up the steps as quickly as she has descended them.

Connor turned around for a second, and saw Mrs. Tyman abruptly exiting the room, looking oddly stiff. He leaned over to James. "Was it just me, or did it seem like something weird was going on there between Kerri and her mom just now?"

But James didn't even register what he was saying. "Did you hear that? She just called me little! I'm like as tall as you."

Connor had to struggle to contain his laughter. "Maybe she wasn't referring to height." He turned quickly and started towards the desk, ignoring the chenille throw pillow that hit him in the back on the way.

> > > > >

A few minutes later Connor maneuvered the desk into Kerri's bedroom. "Perfect! You can put it right over there by the window," she said perkily. He pushed it into place. When he turned around, she was standing right near the door. Today she was wearing a dangerously short jean mini, with a blue embroidered tank top. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and her feet were bare.

Connor glanced around the room. "So, what else did you need moved up here?" He was shocked when in response to his question she shut the door to her room. "Um, Kerri, I'm working."

"I know. But I don't think anyone will care if you take a little break." She said down daintily on her bed.

"Your mom might. She seemed a little...weird this morning," Connor said.

"Oh, that's just mom. I told you about her current situation...you know, why we moved?" She lowered her voice. "I think it's the anti-depressants. Sometimes they make her act funny. She can't help it."

Once again he found himself taken aback by her blunt honesty. "Um, okay. Because it almost seemed like she didn't want me to help you."

"Oh, you're just paranoid! I'm telling you, she does this all the time. The doctor said its common, with her heavy dose of medication." She leaned back and stared at him. "I thought maybe we could talk some more. I really enjoyed that yesterday. Just being able to talk and have someone listen...its been a long time since I've had that."

He felt himself relaxing a little. "Okay. I guess we could talk for a few minutes. But then I should really get back to work."

She smiled. "I'll take all that I can get. So, why don't you tell me more about this girlfriend of yours? Dawn."

He blinked. That wasn't quite the question he was expecting. But he remembered James's words. _If James is right and Kerri is after more than just a friendly ear, then maybe it would be good to make her aware of how much I love Dawn._ "Well, she's seventeen. Beautiful. Very smart, and funny."

"She sounds perfect," Kerri said with a smile. "There must be something wrong with her."

Connor laughed. "Why do you say that?"

"Because no one's perfect, silly," she joked. "Seriously, what's her flaw?"

He thought. "She doesn't have one, really."

"Well, is she, you know, clingy?" Kerri asked.

Connor raised an eyebrow. "No...why would you ask that?"

"I don't know, just it's not exactly the norm for seventeen year olds to have a live-in boyfriend. I mean, people your age are supposed to be experimenting. Finding yourself. Just seems a little soon to be like a married couple."

"We're not like a married couple. We just love each other very much, and there's no reason for us to want to...experiment," he said, looking out the window.

"Well you're older than her. So you've probably had other girlfriends," she said nonchalantly. When he didn't reply, her eyes widened. "Oh my God. She's your first, isn't she?"

"And the only," he said firmly.

Kerri quickly crossed the room to stand next to him. "But seriously, she's your first girlfriend! Which means she's your first kiss, your first date, your first time..."

"What's wrong with that?" Connor said, a little confused by the sudden very personal direction the conversation had taken.

She looked at him like he had suddenly sprouted an extra head. "Connor! I'm not saying there's something wrong with it, I'm just saying it's highly unusual. Teenage guys, they never settle down with just one girl...don't you get curious?"

"Maybe I'm not like other guys," he said quietly, looking directly at her.

She took a step closer. "But Connor, you can't tell me you haven't wondered...okay, answer this question. Do you plan to marry Dawn?"

He took a moment to think about that. Sure, he had thought about it before. But he had never really...considered the prospect. "Yeah, I suppose I am."

"Well don't you realize what that means?" she said incredulously.

"No, I really don't," he said, suddenly uncomfortable.

"It means, that assuming you're not a cheating jerk like my father, that she'll be the only one you're ever with. You'll never get to feel another girl's skin against yours..." she reached out and touched his cheek. "Never get to experience anything new...no surprises."

He grabbed her hand, moving it away from his face. "I don't want surprises. You know I think I should really get back to work."

She ignored him. "You'll never get to feel another girl's lips kissing yours...how do you know you're not missing out on something fantastic?"

"Because I don't care about that, I only want to be with Dawn," he said, trying to sound as stubborn as possible. But he did have to admit that he had never really thought about that before, the things Kerri was saying.

"Connor..." for a moment she stared directly into his eyes. "Maybe I should demonstrate." Before he registered her words or knew what was happening she had grabbed the back of his head and kissed him firmly on the lips.

For a moment he felt frozen; everything was spinning, and he couldn't quite form a coherent thought. Finally he realized what was going on, and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her away from him roughly. "What the hell was that?" he demanded loudly.

"Just thought I'd give you a taste...don't tell me I didn't pique your curiosity." She tried to reach out and touch him but he swatted her hand away aggressively.

"Don't touch me. I'm done with you. James was right! The whole 'lonely' bit, it was just an act. You wanted this all along." He stormed towards the door.

"Connor, no! That's not true, I just want to talk!" she called out.

He turned around, so angry he could barely see straight. "Sure. Whatever you say." He tried to open to the door but realized in horror that it was locked. "Open this door Kerri."

She folded her arms. "No. Not until you listen to me."

"Fine then." Without hesitation he turned around and kicked the door. The lock broke and it swung off its hinges. Kerri yelled in protest, but he blocked it out, storming down the stairs. He spotted James unpacking a box, and grabbed his arm. "We're leaving. Now."

James looked bewildered. "But...the job..."

"Screw the job, we're leaving. Steve can send someone else to finish." James chased after Connor as he walked briskly down the walkway. "You drive." He hopped into the passenger seat. James started the van, and pulled away. As they turned the corner, a bewildered Mrs. Tyman stepped out onto the porch. "Keep going!" Connor demanded when James opened his mouth in protest. He obliged, and they cruised out of the cul de sac. _Damn her_, Connor thought angrily. She had him completely fooled. What an idiot he had been, truly believing all she was after was a friend who would listen! _Damn her._

> > > > >

Later that night Connor slowly entered the apartment, his mind racing. After riding in silence almost the entire way back to company headquarters, he had finally told James what had happened.

_"You were right, okay? Kerri was after me. I'm an idiot," he said angrily. _

"Hey, I'm not gonna say 'I told you so' or anything. But maybe you should listen to me more often," James half-joked. There was a pause. "Are you going to tell Dawn?"

Connor shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know if I'll be able to. But I never want to see Kerri Tyman again. So that solves half the problem."

"Hey, but didn't you say _she's going to school with Dawn in the fall?" James responded. Connor swore under his breath. "I don't know what the hell I'm going to do. Bottom line is, I screwed up, I trusted her, I let her play me. And then she kissed me, and I'm going to have to live with the consequences. But at least I didn't kiss her back."_

_"Well then why are you so upset about it? You didn't do anything," James insisted. "It should be a compliment to Dawn that you weren't interested." Connor remained silent. "Unless...man, are you all upset because you wanted to kiss her back?" _

"Of course not!" he had said very defensively. "I think this discussion ends right now."

At that point he had changed the subject. When they had gotten back to headquarters, Connor had calmly told Steve, the boss, that he had taken himself and James off the Tyman case for personal reasons. He said he understood it was probably unprofessional and he would accept the consequences. But to his relief, Steve hadn't seemed to care. He had seemed a little perplexed, but had agreed to send other men over to finish the job. His only concern was that Mrs. Tyman had requested English-speaking movers, and he had no more. Connor had bluntly said that if the Tymans and the movers couldn't understand each other, it would probably work out for the best. Steve had shrugged and agreed. "You're one of my best men, if you feel you don't belong on this job, I understand." Then he had given Connor and James another assignment, and that was how they had spent the rest of the day. It had been an easy job, just moving an elderly Italian couple from one apartment to another. It had been a good distraction, but now that he was actually walking through the door about to face Dawn, the strange mix of feelings that made him feel slightly nauseous came right back.

"Hey baby," she said, emerging from the bedroom with a bright smile on her face. She threw her arms around him and kissed him gently on the lips. He held her waist and kissed her back, unwillingly remembering the other kiss he had received that day. The memory was met with a feeling of intense guilt. _I should tell her,_ he thought. _It's better for her to find out now from me than some other time._ He looked down into her smiling blue eyes...staring at him with nothing but complete love and trust. _No. I can't. It would break her heart if she found out I kissed another girl. Even if it wasn't my idea._

"Hey...what's the matter?" Dawn said. She could tell something was bothering him. "Did you have a bad day at work?"

"Yeah, we just had some customers that kind of...bothered me." He poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen area.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. But I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to lie down for a while."

She looked concerned. "Okay...do you mind if I lie down with you?"

"Of course not." He downed his glass of water and placed it in the sink before taking her hand and gently leading her into the bedroom. He kicked off his shoes and relaxed onto the bed. Dawn did the same, and gently snuggled into the crook of his arm, lying her head on his shoulder. He breathed in the scent of her hair, trying to make himself relax.

"_Are you all upset because you wanted to kiss her back?"_

He closed his eyes, trying to stop that line from replaying over and over in his head. The truth was, he didn't know why he was so upset. James had been right, he hadn't kissed Kerri back, so he shouldn't even feel guilty. So why did he feel so dirty and dishonest?

Had he wanted to kiss her? Was it possible her words had gotten to him?

_No. Impossible. I don't care about getting the chance to kiss other girls. I only want Dawn. _And right then, as he lied there silently with her in his arms, he was one hundred percent positive that was true.

So then why was he feeling this way?

_Just forget about it. Forget it ever happened. It was unimportant. All that matters is Dawn._ He told himself that over and over again until he finally fell asleep.

> > > > >

2 weeks later

Tuesday, September 8th, 2003

"Dawn, are you almost ready? They should be here any minute," Connor called.

"I'm coming!" she called back from the bathroom.

He sighed and paced around the living room. He would never understand why it took women so long to get ready.

"I'm still not sure about this," Buffy said hesitantly. "Dawn starts school tomorrow, it really isn't the best time to go party."

"Hey, you agreed. We even invited you. We won't go out too long, I think it'll be good for Dawn to enjoy one last fun night out before tomorrow. James and Gina agree," Connor insisted.

She smiled slowly. "Okay. Just be home by eleven."

"Eleven thirty. Come on Buffy, you know the clubs don't even get going until at least ten."

Connor blinked when he saw Dawn, who had finally emerged from the bathroom. She looked stunning in form-fitting dark jeans, a gold sequined tank top, gold heels, and some bangly jewelry. Her hair was down in waves, and she was grinning at him. "You look amazing," he said honestly.

"Glad you think so," she said happily, grabbing his hand.

In the two weeks that had passed since the incident in Kerri's bedroom, Connor seemed to have forgotten about it. He had let himself become absorbed in the daily grind, and even felt silly looking back on how upset he had been. He was determined to put the whole occurrence behind him, and so far he felt he was doing a good job. Whole days had passed without a single thought of Kerri Tyman, and he wanted to keep it that way. James hadn't spoken of the incident either, much to his relief.

There was a knock at the door. "Well you kids have fun," Buffy said with a smile. "And don't stay out too late...11:30."

Dawn smiled triumphantly. "You're the best." She gave her sister a quick hug as Connor opened the door to reveal James and Gina. They were both dressed nicely as well, Gina in an outfit that Dawn had helped her pick out: jeans with a black halter top, and new black boots.

"Hey guys. We're ready," Connor said, holding the door open for Dawn. Buffy waved hello to the other couple as Dawn grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.

"Have fun! Be careful!" she called responsibly as they headed down the hall. When they disappeared from sight she sighed. "Be careful? I'm turning into a mom."

> > > > >

"This is so much fun," Dawn said excitedly as the four of them finally sat down on some red plush couches in the corner after about a half an hour of nonstop dancing. "I can't believe we've lived in Italy like three months now and haven't come out to a club!" She sat down in Connor's lap, draping her arms around his neck.

"Italian clubs are better than American ones. The music is better," James said. He draped an arm around Gina's shoulders, and she smiled happily.

"Gina, are you having fun?" Dawn asked, having to speak loudly over the din of the loud techno music.

She nodded enthusiastically. Dawn had noticed earlier that she seemed very happy tonight. Something seemed...different.

James looked at her. "Would you like something to drink?"

Gina nodded after a moment. "A soda, please."

"I'll have one too, if you don't mind," Dawn said with a smile. James nodded, standing up.

"Connor, wanna come help me get drinks?" he asked.

"Sure." Connor carefully lifted Dawn off his lap, placing her on the couch next to him. "We'll be right back." He leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss.

"I'll be waiting," she whispered. The two guys wandered off towards the bar, leaving the two girls alone. Dawn immediately switched to the opposite couch so she was sitting next to Gina. "Okay, what's up with you? You're doing this weird glowy thing."

Gina glanced around before leaning in towards Dawn excitedly. "It happened. With James."

It took a moment for that to register, but when it did, Dawn's eyes widened a little in understanding. "Oh! Oh my gosh, that's huge Gina. When?"

"Last night. He show up at café, to walk me home. We got ice cream on the way. And then I go back to his room. And...things happened, and then he told me he loves me," she said proudly.

Dawn smiled. "That's really great. And then what?"

"Well, I told him I love him too! Because I wanted to tell him before. I just didn't want to..." she struggled for words.

"Scare him off?" Dawn suggested.

Gina nodded. "Yes. Scare him off. But he loves me too! And then, I spend the night."

"So how was it?" Dawn asked eagerly. But the glowing look on Gina's face spoke volumes about how the night had been.

"Perfect. And I want to thank you. Our talk, it made me understand better. About being a good girlfriend," Gina said happily.

Dawn reached out and touched her hand. "I'm glad I could help. And I'm really glad you guys are happy."

> > > > >

"So, things seem perfectly fine with you and Dawn," James said nonchalantly as they waited for the bartender to fill their orders.

Connor gave him a suspicious look. "Why wouldn't things be fine?"

James gave him a look like he was pathetic. "Come on man. It wasn't that long ago that you were like, flipping out that you'd screwed everything up."

"I thought we agreed not to talk about this. The whole thing with Kerri, it's behind me. I've forgotten all about it," he said, half truthfully.

"Sure man. Whatever you say." Their drinks were placed on the bar and James picked two up, leaving Connor to get the other two. "But I'm glad you're moving on. Because it really didn't mean anything."

They shut up when they reached the couches again. They distributed the drinks and sat back down, Dawn happily resuming her position in Connor's lap. The four of them sat there and chatted and sipped their sodas for a while. At one point when there was a lull in the conversation, Connor suddenly kissed Dawn. When they broke apart, she muttered "what was that for?"

"It's because I love you. And you look so beautiful," he whispered. They kissed again, more passionately this time, until they became oblivious to their surroundings. Seeing the big public display of affection, Gina looked over at James hopefully.

"Oh what the heck," he joked, pulling her in close for a kiss.

The two couples remained like that for quite a long time until one of Connor's hands ventured a little further than it should in such a public setting, causing Dawn to reluctantly break the kiss. "Maybe we should stop now," she said sheepishly.

"Oh, get a room," James joked, breaking apart from his own make-out session. The four of them all laughed.

"Connor, what do you say we go back out on the dance floor?" Dawn suggested. But Connor's mind was no longer with Dawn. It was on the three girls that had just entered the club. A tall blonde, a curvy redhead, and a stunning brunette in a designer minidress that he knew all too well. He froze, staring as Kerri Tyman entered the club with her two friends, pausing to look around at the partying crowd and nodding her approval. She turned to say something to one of her friends, and they headed over towards the bar. James meanwhile had followed Connor's line of sight, recognizing the girl immediately.

"Uh, Connor, didn't you hear your girlfriend?" James said nervously.

Connor snapped out of it, turning to face Dawn, who looked a little confused. "Uh, no. What did you say?"

"Whoa, what just happened to you? You were totally like in another world just now," Dawn said worriedly.

He tried to force a smile. "I'm fine. Just spaced out for a minute."

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to dance some more," Dawn said, less enthusiastically.

"Why don't you and Gina go. We'll catch up in a minute," Connor said, giving her a quick kiss.

"Come on Dawn," Gina said, standing up. Dawn went with her, somewhat reluctantly, looking back at Connor as she retreated.

"Hey, was that who I think it was?" James said quietly once they were gone.

Connor nodded, running his hands through his hair and closing his eyes. "Yeah. It was."

"Doesn't look like she's so lonely anymore. Check out the entourage," James commented. He turned his attention back to his friend. "Hey, do you wanna go?"

Connor shook his head. "No, I don't." He thought for a moment. "Let's go find our girls." He got up and walked purposefully towards the spot where Dawn and Gina were dancing, James tagging along.

Dawn was pleased when her boyfriend's arms snaked around her waist. "There you are." She turned around to face him, moving to the beat. "Dance with me."

He did, trying to focus on nothing but her while one eye involuntarily roamed the club. _This'll show her that I'm taken. _He tried to dance as best as he could, although he was sure he still looked awkward. The song changed to one with a slightly faster tempo, and Dawn began moving her hips back and forth. He spun her around a few times. About halfway through the song he was jarred from the hypnotic trance of the music and Dawn's dancing when a girl brushed into Dawn from the side. He looked up and was only slightly surprised to see Kerri, pretending to apologize to Dawn as her eyes met his. She gave him a clear, defiant look that practically dared him to watch her before dancing away a few feet and rejoining her friends.

"Hey, do you know her or something?" Dawn asked.

Connor shook his head quickly. "No. Why?"

"It just seemed like she looked at you funny." She seemed to shrug it off as she got back into the dancing. He tried to follow suit, but he felt the uncomfortable feeling of someone looking at him. He unwillingly looked behind Dawn to see Kerri, grinding sexily to the beat with her two friends, her eyes locked with his. He felt his whole body tighten, and he quickly maneuvered Dawn so that his back was to Kerri, with James and Gina between them.

The song ended, and Connor couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, we should probably head home," he said, taking Dawn's hand.

"But it's only eleven," she protested.

"Yeah, but there might be traffic on the way home, and it will look good for Buffy if I have you home early," he said reasonably.

She sighed. "Okay, if you say so." She tapped Gina on the shoulder and told her they were going to head out. Gina and James followed suit as they walked through the crowd, Connor not looking back at the spot where he knew Kerri stood.

> > > > >

"Well I had a great time tonight," Dawn said as they changed into their pajamas. "We should do that more often."

Connor nodded in agreement, slipping into bed. "Yeah. We should."

Dawn turned around, noticing him lying down. "You're just going to go to sleep?"

He looked at her. "Um, yeah. Why, you wanted to..." his voice trailed off.

She shrugged. "I don't know, back in the club you were all over me...I kind of assumed you'd want to..." She climbed into bed next to him, wrapping her arms around his neck seductively.

He closed his eyes. He couldn't do this now...his mind was still racing from what had happened at the club. "Baby, not tonight. Buffy's awake in the next room, and you have to get up early tomorrow." He turned to face her, feeling guilty. "Maybe tomorrow."

She failed at hiding her disappointment. "Okay. Fine. Good night then." She gave him a quick kiss before turning out the light slipping under the covers.

Connor was awake long after Dawn's breathing told him that she was asleep. _Dammit. I was there. I had forgotten about it, and then that little tramp has to prance into the club and act like that_. He realized with dread that Kerri had seen Dawn tonight, and she would most likely see her again tomorrow. _If she says something to Dawn about us..._he started to tell himself that she wouldn't. But then he thought back to how she had deceived him and decided that he couldn't put anything past this girl. _I guess I'll just have to hope they don't have any classes together. Or maybe she didn't get a good look. It was kind of dark in there._ He knew that he was being ridiculous, but it was all he could do to make himself feel better. _I'll figure it out in the morning_, he finally decided as he drifted off to sleep.

> > > > >

TBC!

PLEASE review!


	11. Chapter 11: Friends and Enemies

Disclaimer: Gina, James, Kerri, Amelia, and anyone else you don't recognize are my original characters. Everything else belongs to Joss Whedon. -bows down-

Author's Note: I am terribly sorry for the long delay in updating. The month of August was really hectic for me, we had relatives visiting from out of the country, then I was on vacation for a week with my family. But now I'm back to the daily grind of school, and I should get back to updating more regularly. My apologies. This chapter is mostly a transition piece. Also, keep in mind that I don't know anything about Italian high schools, so just bear with me on that aspect. Many thanks to everyone who has continued to read, review, and support this story. You guys are the best. To everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Katie, SanityFair, Daybreak and destructo boy, freezyboncoolipants, maggie, and musicbrat-0901. This one's for you!

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 11: Friends and Enemies

Wednesday, September 9th, 2003

Connor awoke the next morning by the first hints of sunlight peeking in through the bedroom curtains. He instinctively rolled over, reaching out with his arm to wrap it around Dawn. When all his arm touched was bare sheets, he opened his eyes in confusion. Propping himself up and looking around, he saw that Dawn was nowhere to be found. He blinked through the haze in his mind associated with just waking up, and instantly remembered the events that had occurred in the club last night. He also remembered that today was Dawn's first day of school. Focusing on this latest predicament, he closed his eyes in frustration. _Relax. Everything is going to be fine. Dawn probably won't even see Kerri today. And if she does, you don't even know if Kerri will know her. _

He slowly got out of bed and pulled on some clothes, his head still spinning. He cursed the day that him and James had ever gone to the Tyman residence. That one stupid assignment had screwed up his entire life. He had moved on, he had truly almost forgotten about that stupid kiss, and then last night had brought everything back to the surface again. In that one moment on the dance floor, everything had spun even more out of control. _This is my mess. I have to fix it. I have to make sure Kerri never speaks a word of what happened to anyone_. But he didn't know how he could guarantee that. The first logical plan would be to offer Kerri hush money. But the Tymans were loaded. So that would never work. Connor groaned in frustration. _Hush money? I didn't even do anything wrong. Maybe I should just tell Dawn. Its better for her to find out now from me than later in some other way. _His mind made up, he took a deep breath and exited the bedroom. Dawn and Buffy were sitting at the kitchen counter eating breakfast. _It's now or never._ He slowly walked over to join them.

Dawn instantly brightened when she saw her lover approaching. "Hey, you're up!" She hopped off her stool and went over to give him a good morning kiss.

"Good morning baby. So, are you ready for the first day," he said, feeling a little shaky.

"I don't know. I'm so nervous. I mean, its bad enough going to high school in _America_. But these people won't even speak English! I don't know how I'm ever going to fit in," she worried. "I just wish you were coming with me. You know, its never too late for an education!"

Connor laughed. "I think I'll pass on that. And I know you'll make friends. Your Italian is really good. Just be yourself, and everyone will love you just like I do."

"Awww. You always know just what to say to make me feel better," she said happily. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again.

When the kiss broke apart, Connor tried his best to summon all of his courage. "Um, baby, can I talk to you for a minute? In the bedroom?"

Dawn looked at him with slight surprise, then glanced back at Buffy. "Sure. Okay. I don't have to leave for a few minutes." She followed him into their room, and he shut the door behind them, taking a moment to close his eyes and think of the best way to say this. When he opened them Dawn was staring at him, looking a little frightened.

"Connor, what's wrong?" she said nervously. "You look...I don't even know."

He looked at her. He opened his mouth. _Just say it. Tell her now._ He formed the words in his mind, but no sound came out.

"I think I know what this is about," Dawn said quietly.

"You do?" he said in disbelief.

She nodded, taking his hand. "You feel bad about last night. Because you...you know, didn't want to. But I'm okay with it, really. Okay, maybe I was a little hurt at first, because it wasn't like you. But I've been thinking about it, and I think I understand." She took a breath. "It's been a few months now since we've been sleeping together. And I remember how in the first few weeks, when we didn't have the opportunity to be together that often, when we did it was...special. And now that we're doing it...all the time, maybe its losing some of that for you. I mean, I used to read Buffy's _Cosmos_ all the time, and I know that sometimes guys get...bored, but I know there's things we can do, we can try new...things, or we can-"

"No, no, it's not that at all baby," he said, cracking a small smile at what she had just said. "Are you saying you think that I'm bored with our sex life?"

"Yeah?" she said meekly.

He couldn't help but laugh. "Dawn, I promise you, everything you do, everything we do, is perfect."

She relaxed a little, looking sheepish. "Oh. Okay. Well you just excuse my little rant there..."

"Don't worry about it. But actually, last night is what I wanted to talk to you about. I was just tired, and I feel really bad about it now because it looks like I was right that it probably gave you the wrong idea. But I promise you, I love you. More than ever. And I will never, ever get bored with you." The words were out before he even fully realized what he was saying. _Dammit. I can't do it. I can't tell her._

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I love you too Connor."

He kissed the top of her head. "I know."

They were interrupted by a tentative knocking at the door. "Dawn? It's time to go," Buffy said from the other side.

Dawn pulled back and looked up at him. "I guess its time. How do I look?" She spun around, showing off her classic yet polished ensemble consisting of dark jeans, black boots, and a royal blue top.

"Beautiful." He opened the bedroom door, escorting her back to the living room. "Have a great day."

"I'll try." Dawn picked up her black messenger bag. "Well, I should get going." She gave her sister a quick hug.

"Good luck Dawnie. Have a good first day," Buffy told her. Dawn squeezed Connor's hand one more time before leaving the apartment.

Buffy sighed, looking at Connor. "I'm so proud of her. Going to her senior year in a foreign country...I never could have done it."

"She's amazing," Connor said truthfully.

"Is everything okay with you two?" Buffy asked, clearly referring to the little private chat they had just had.

He nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just a little...misunderstanding. Everything's great."

She smiled. "Good. You know, I didn't want to admit it for a long time. But you're probably the best thing that's ever happened to her. I've never seen her this happy. And I know that it's all because of you."

He stood there, feeling more guilty than he had in his entire life. "Um, yeah. I try." He made a show of glancing at the clock. "I should go get ready for work."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Go ahead." She turned back towards the kitchen, heading to clean up from breakfast. Connor trudged slowly into the bedroom, feeling horrible. When he was almost there, he turned around suddenly.

"I really do love her, you know."

Buffy spun around, giving him a slightly strange look. "I know you do."

He started to say something else but decided against it. "Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you did." He turned around and entered the bedroom, closing the door and leaning back against it. He had never felt this rotten in his life. It was like that one little kiss with Kerri had taken on its own life, and was slowly eating him away from the inside out. _I don't know how I'm going to fix this_, he admitted helplessly. _I don't know how I'm ever going to fix this._

A half an hour later Dawn walked slowly into her first class of the day, not feeling very confident. Her new school was bigger than she had expected, and everyone was speaking Italian. Well, she had expected that, this being Italy and all, but expecting it and actually living it were two very different concepts. She found herself immediately wishing she was back at Sunnydale High. Hellmouth or no Hellmouth, at least the people were American.

She quickly walked to an empty seat on the far side of the classroom, sitting down and unpacking a fresh notebook and pen. She pulled her new pocket-sized English-Italian dictionary and hid it underneath her notebook. Glancing around at the other students, she noticed that most of them didn't even appear to have seen her come in. They were all too busy with their conversations. Dawn struggled to understand the fast-paced dialogue, managing to pick out a few words here and there but failing overall. _What was I thinking? I can't do this._ She sighed quietly. _I wish Connor were here. _

"Le signore di mattina buoni ed I gentiluomini. Sono Sig.ra Valenti. Per favore di togliere I suoi quaderni e le sue penne." A short, middle-aged Italian woman in a sharp pinstriped suit smiled at the class. "Comincerò portando la presenza. Per favore di dire qui quando il suo nome è chiamato."

_Attendance. Okay. I can manage that._ Dawn tried to relax a little as she began the roll call.

"Luigi Albertti?

"Qui!"

"Maria Antonio?"

"Qui!"

Dawn zoned out a little as the rest of the names were called, studying her schedule for the day. At least she had a short day, only 6 classes.

"Amelia Montgomery?"

"Qui!"

Dawn looked up upon hearing the very American sounding name, searching for the girl who had replied. Her eyes fell upon an average looking girl with dirty blonde hair and small, delicate glasses. She was sitting back in her seat looking very cool and collected. But in the sea of dark haired, dark skinned Italians, she stood out about as much as Dawn assumed she did herself. _Is she American?_ She wondered excitedly. She was so busy being excited at the possibility of finding someone who spoke her own language that she almost didn't hear her name being called.

"Dawn Summers? Dawn Summers?"

"Qui!" She replied quickly, snapping out of it.

The teacher finished the roll call and put it away. She picked up a piece of chalk and was about to begin class when a late arrival hurried in the door. Mrs. Valenti turned to examine the new student with a hint of annoyance in her expression.

"I'm so sorry! I got a little lost," the girl explained.

Mrs. Valenti raised an eyebrow. "This is an Italian school. We speak Italian."

"Oh! Of course. Chiedo scusa per è tardi. Mi chiamo Kerri. Kerri Tyman."

The teacher adjusted the attendance list before scanning the room. She pointed at the only available desk in the back of the room. Kerri smiled sweetly at the teacher before sauntering slowly to her seat. As the lean brunette passed Dawn's desk, Dawn frowned. _She's definitely an American. That girl looks so familiar. Where do I know her from?_ She noticed that the Italian boys had definitely noticed _this_ foreign arrival, and Kerri was very aware of that fact, flashing a sly smile in their direction as she sat down at her desk.

Mrs. Valenti began to write notes down on the chalkboard, and Dawn copied them absentmindedly, trying to place Kerri in her mind. _I haven't met that many people my age since I've been here...where have I seen her before?_ During a pause in the class she casually turned around to get a better look at Kerri, who epitomized the perfect student, sitting quietly at her desk copying the notes while tucking strand of her perfectly straightened brown hair behind her ear. While studying her Dawn's mind flashed back to an image from the hazy club last night. _She's that girl from the club, the one who bumped into me on the dance floor! _Wondering why she even remembered the girl from such a brief, trivial incident, she remembered the odd look she had given Connor. _That was weird. _Attempting to shrug it off, Dawn turned her attention back to her notes.

As soon as the final bell rang and everyone got to their feet, Dawn quickly stuffed her things into her messenger bag and hurried through the crowd, hoping to catch up to Amelia. Pushing past a few of her classmates, she spotted the girl headed down the hallway, and rushed to catch up. "Amelia?" she called out.

Amelia spun around in surprise, looking to see who had called her name. When she saw Dawn she immediately brightened. "Oh, hi!" Their eyes met for a moment.

"You're American!" they both blurted out at once. After a short awkward pause they burst out laughing.

"Oh my gosh, you know, I knew there was something different about you back in there. I just wasn't sure. You're beautiful enough to pass for an Italian girl," Amelia said with a blush.

Dawn laughed. "Well, thanks. As soon as I heard your name, I knew you had to be American." She paused, realizing she hadn't introduced herself. "I'm Dawn. Dawn Summers."

"Amelia Montgomery. But I guess you already know that!" The two girls laughed again.

"So Dawn, are you new here? Where do you come from in America?" Amelia asked, stepping to the side of the hallway out of the path of traffic.

"I'm from California. I just moved here a few months ago. How about you? Have you been here long? Where did you come from?" she asked excitedly.

"Other side of the continent. New York. And about 3 years ago, right before my freshman year. My dad is Italian," she explained. "So wow, you're really new! How are you doing with the language? It must be a huge relief to find someone who speaks English!"

Dawn laughed. "It totally is. And I'm doing okay I guess. I just hope I'll be able to keep up with my classes." She reached in her bag and retrieved the dictionary, holding it up sheepishly. "But, I have a secret weapon."

"Oh, those things are the best. I was glued to mine for my first year here. Hold onto that, I promise it will come in handy." Amelia said with a laugh. She glanced over her shoulder. "Hey, I'd love to talk more, but if we don't get going we're going to be late."

"Oh, yeah, you're right. Will I see you again today?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"I don't know. Do you have your schedule?" Dawn handed it over quickly, and Amelia compared it against her own. "Yes! We have lunch together, and two afternoon classes."

Dawn beamed. "Great! I can't wait. There's so much I want to ask you!"

"Same here! Hey, have a good morning Dawn. I'll look for you in lunch!"

"Bye Amelia!" The two parted ways. Dawn grinned the whole way to her next class. Amelia had been even nicer than she'd expected. Kind of one of those people you hit it off with instantly. She couldn't wait to talk to her more, and hopefully get some tips for surviving high school in a foreign country.

Dawn entered the cafeteria at lunchtime, quickly scanning the crowds for Amelia. Her head was starting to throb from concentrating so hard to understand what everyone was saying, and she couldn't wait to just sit down, eat her salad, and speak English.

"Dawn! Over here!" She turned around in relief when she heard Amelia calling her. Her new friend was sitting there at a table near the edge of the cafeteria, waving her over. Hurrying over gratefully, she sat down next to her.

"So, you've survived your first morning," Amelia said with a grin, noticing the haggard expression on Dawn's face.

"Barely," she replied wryly. "I know what you're going to say: you'll get used to it."

"Yeah, well its true! Did you know any Italian before you came here?" Amelia inquired.

Dawn shook her head. "None. What about you?"

"A little. I took one year of it in middle school before I moved, and my dad taught me a little before we made the trip. His parents lived here in Rome," she explained.

"Oh, wow. Is that why you came here?" Dawn asked.

"Kind of. My mom died when I was in 8th grade, and my dad and I kind of needed to get away from everything, you know. So he really wanted to come here. His parents were long gone, but he had been here to visit them before I was born, and always wanted to go back. So here I am," she said quietly.

Dawn looked at her in sympathy. "I'm sorry about your mom. I know how hard that is. My mom died when I was 14. My dad had walked out on her when I was only like, 10, so its just been me and my sister."

"I'm sorry too. But at least you have someone. How old is your sister?"

"Twenty two. Her name's Buffy. She can be a pain in the butt, but I don't know what I'd do without her," Dawn admitted.

"Wow. So why did you guys move to Italy?" Amelia asked, taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"That's kind of a long story...basically the town we lived in back in California kind of...caved in. Massive earthquake," Dawn said quickly. "But anyways we wanted to pick up and start totally fresh. So we just kind of picked Rome. So the three of us got on a plane not knowing any Italian whatsoever, and the rest is history."

Amelia's eyes widened. "Wow. That's some story...wait, did you say the three of us? Who came besides you and your sister?"

Dawn smiled. "My boyfriend, Connor. I met him during our last year in Sunnydale. He's my sister's ex's son...and that's another really long story. But anyways we fell in love, and he came with us when we moved."

"That's so romantic," Amelia said softly. "Does he like, live with you guys?"

Dawn couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Everyone thinks that's so weird. The seventeen year old with the live-in boyfriend."

Amelia laughed as well. "Well I admit it isn't exactly a situation you hear of every day. Your sister actually lets him live with you guys?"

"Yeah. But trust me, it wasn't easy. It took a lot of prodding to get her to go along with it. But she's cool with it now."

"Is Connor your age? Is he going to school too?" Amelia asked.

Dawn thought a moment about how to answer that. "Um, he's eighteen. But he works. For a moving company in Rome. He's really good at it," she said proudly, eating some of her salad.

"That's great. What about Buffy, does she work?"

"Yeah, she's working in a café right now. But back home she worked at my high school for a while as a counselor." Dawn silently decided not to mention her sister's stint at the Doublemeat Palace.

"That's nice. So where are you guys living?" Amelia said curiously.

"We have an apartment in kind of the middle of town. It's about five minutes from here. How about you?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, I'm about five minutes away too-but in the other direction. We live more towards the outside of the city. We have a nice little house. My father and I are happy there," she said.

"Do you get to spend a lot of time with your dad?" Dawn asked quietly.

Amelia shrugged. "Not a lot, but enough. He's usually home for dinner. But his job keeps him very busy. He's an architect. It's a good job to have in our situation because that kind of thing is the same in any language. But he's a great father."

"That's good," Dawn said. "It's nice that you have that." There was a brief pause in the conversation with the only sound being the crinkling of their now empty paper lunch bags.

"So, what do you think of the school so far?" Amelia asked finally.

Dawn smiled. "It's okay, I guess. It's...different than American high school. Just in little ways. But I'm getting used to it."

"Yeah, there's just that one little way of how everyone speaks Italian instead of English," Amelia joked. They both laughed. "Well Dawn, I'm really glad I met you today. You know, there's another American girl in our homeroom, the one that came in late. But she didn't seem nearly as friendly as you."

Dawn frowned a little, remembering Kerri. "Yeah, I noticed. But her 'friendliness' with the Italian boys probably makes up for it," she said dryly.

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Do you know her or something?"

Dawn shook her head. "No, not really. But I've seen her before. Last night actually, my boyfriend and I were at a club with some friends and she bumped into me on the dance floor. I just got kind of a weird vibe from her. I don't really know how to explain it, but I feel like I should keep my distance from her."

"Well, you should always go with your instinct, or your first impression. It's usually dead on," Amelia stated. Dawn nodded in agreement. Just then the bell rang for lunch to end, and they both stood up.

"I think you're in my next class. We can walk there together," Amelia said happily. Dawn smiled back. They walked to the cafeteria door, moving slowly in the herd of kids. When they were almost at the door Dawn turned to Amelia, ready to say something, when suddenly she walked straight into something in front of her. She stepped back and started to apologize when she looked up and saw that she had walked straight into Kerri Tyman. She narrowed her eyes slightly, but continued with the apology.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," she said matter-of-factly.

Kerri gave her a once over look, seeming like she was trying to remember something. Suddenly her eyes appeared to light up, as if something had finally clicked into place. "Oh! I know exactly who you are." A wide grin spread across her face, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I'm Kerri. Kerri Tyman. You're another fellow American!"

"Yeah, guess so. I'm Dawn." She decided not to bother giving her last name as they continued out of the cafeteria.

Kerri flashed her that stunning grin again, the one that Dawn was sure had brought more than a few boys to their knees. "Well Dawnie, I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of each other. Can I call you Dawnie?"

Dawn flashed her an annoyed look. "I prefer Dawn."

Kerri just nodded, the same grin still on her face. It was starting to make Dawn feel uncomfortable. "I'll remember that Dawnie. Well I've gotta run! Ciao!" And then she was gone, moving swiftly through the crowd, her long brown hair bouncing behind her.

Amelia gave Dawn a strange look. "I think you were right about her. That was just...weird."

"Yeah," Dawn replied absentmindedly. She stood there trying to figure out what had just happened. The whole encounter had been beyond bizarre. That look and smile Kerri had given her had left her very unsettled...and what had she meant by 'I know exactly who you are?'

"Dawn, don't let her bother you. She's just being superior and bitchy," Amelia insisted.

Dawn nodded slowly. "Yeah, you can move wherever you want but there'll always be the 'popular' girls that spend their lives putting everyone else down."

"Exactly. So, here we are, this is our class." Amelia entered a classroom and Dawn followed, still deep in thought. She knew that Amelia was right and that she should just forget about the whole incident, but in the back of her mind she had a nagging feeling that she had not seen the last of Kerri Tyman.

TBC!

PLEASE review! They make me so happy, and encourage me to write faster!


	12. Chapter 12: Revelations

A/N: I can't believe I have to say this again. School is consuming a lot of my time, so again, I apologize for the long update time. I feel really bad about it. But I finally got this chapter to come out in a way I'm pleased with, so I hope you enjoy. And you might need to have a little bit of faith in me. Remember, fics that are 100 fluff get boring after a while...

This is now my longest fanfic. And there is still much more to come! Huge thanks to everyone who has continued to review! You guys are the best. I appreciate your continued support of this fic.

Enjoy!

> > > > >

Chapter 12: Revelations

Connor practically leapt off the couch when Dawn walked in the door after school. "Hey! There you are," he said, attempting to swallow to rid himself of the horrible dry feeling in his mouth. "How was your day?"

She shrugged and started to respond as she placed her bag on one of the kitchen stools, but stopped suddenly and gave him a strange look. "Are you okay? You seem...weird."

"Just what every guy wants to hear," he said meekly, attempting to make a joke. "Nothing's wrong. I just...missed you. That's all."

A slow smile spread across her face. "Well isn't that sweet." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. "My day was okay. It was hard. I had trouble keeping up with what the teacher was saying in most classes, but I survived. And I made a friend! Another American girl," she said happily, kicking off her shoes.

Connor froze. _No, that's not possible._ "What's her name?" he croaked.

"Amelia. Amelia Montgomery. She moved here from New York three years ago, with her dad. He's Italian, and when her mom died he wanted to reconnect with his roots. She's so nice, it was great to be able to talk to someone I have stuff in common with," she said. But Connor hadn't heard anything after the name, he was too busy sighing in relief that this was not the girl he had feared it would be.

"That's nice. I'm glad." He hesitated, unsure how to proceed. "Are there any other Americans?"

Dawn flopped down on the couch, looking exhausted. "Yeah. There's one other girl besides Amelia and I. Her name's Kerri something." She frowned. "I got such a weird vibe from her. She bumped into me at lunch and we had the most bizarre conversation. I just didn't like the way she was looking at me. And you know, I think I've seen her before...Connor? Are you listening?"

He swallowed, trying to rid himself of the strong taste of bile that had risen in his throat upon Dawn confirming his worst fear. "Yeah. I'm here."

"Well I remembered that I saw her last night, at the club. She bumped into me on the dance floor. She gave me a strange look then too. I don't know what her problem is," Dawn said with a sigh. "It sucks, you know? You can move wherever you want and there's still going to be the stupid biotches who just get off on acting all superior to everyone else."

He tried to move towards her but he found himself oddly frozen in place. "I know...it sucks."

Dawn sat up straight, giving him her impatient, 'now I've had it' look that he had come to know pretty well. "Okay Connor, please talk to me. Something really off with you. Actually, now that I think about it, something's been weird for a while now." She paused. "What is it? Is it something at work bothering you?"

_It did all start there,_ he thought, cursing the day he had ever ripped off that stupid little tab of paper. It was amazing how much that tiny little action had screwed up his entire life. He snapped out of it, realizing he had to say something. He sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just a little stressed out."

She frowned. "Why is that? Are you working too much? That's it, isn't it? You're working so hard to try and make a good life for me that you're burning yourself out and heading for a nervous breakdown!" she said, sounding very upset.

He couldn't help but laugh at that. "No baby, that's not it at all. It has nothing to do with you."

"Is this about what we talked about this morning?" she asked tentatively.

He smiled. "No. I told you, I'm more than satisfied with our sex life." He paused, trying to figure out a way to explain this without, well, explaining it. "I think there's just a lot going on in my head right now. I can't really explain it."

She frowned. "I don't really understand."

He walked over slowly and sat down next to her on the couch. "I've just been thinking a lot about where I'm going with my life. I mean, long term. I'm working for a moving company Dawn. I don't have hardly any education, no resume. I just don't know if I'm going to be able to make a stable life for you, for us, once you're out of school. I don't think I deserve you," he said, saying the last part very quietly, the validity of the statement hurting him more than she would ever know.

She put her arm around his shoulders. "Oh, Connor. You don't have to think about that at all. I love you Connor. And all I care about in my future is you. I don't care what kind of life we have. I don't need a fancy house, or a nice car, or any of that. All I need is you, and I'm happy."

He felt tears rising to his eyes, a very rare occurrence for him. Willing them to stay back, he managed to reply. "I feel the same way." There was a brief moment of silence. Then he cleared his throat, and stood up. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to work...I have to cover for someone on the late shift tonight."

"Oh..." Dawn said, her eyes expressing hurt and disappointment. "You didn't mention that before."

"I guess it just never came up. I'll be back soon," he said quickly. He leaned down and gave her a kiss before turning and scurrying out the door.

He walked quickly to the stairs and down to the street level before pausing to kick the wall for no reason. He was going insane. He couldn't deal with these lies anymore. He didn't have to work, he didn't have to do anything, he just couldn't stand to be with Dawn any longer. She kept saying things that only made him feel worse. _Its amazing how these lies just pile up on top of each other until you can barely see your way out_, he thought grimly.

He walked a few more blocks and then sat down on the curb on a quiet corner, trying to clear his head. He had no earthly idea what he was going to do next. He wasn't sure how long he sat there before an idea came to him. It was risky and might not help at all, but at this point he really didn't have much left to lose.

_That settles it. Tomorrow I'll try to end this, once and for all._ He slowly stood up and walked a little further. If he was going to stand by his facade of being at work, he couldn't go home yet. For an instant the image of Dawn sitting alone in the apartment with that hurt look in her eyes. He struggled to push it away. _I'm doing all of this for you, baby. I screwed up and I can't let my mistakes hurt you anymore than they already have._

_I just hope you'll understand someday. _

> > > > >

The next day, Connor stepped out of the cab in the all too familiar cul-de-sac that housed the Tyman residence. He had left almost immediately after Dawn had departed for school. He knew that Kerri wouldn't be at home, and just hoped that the person he was there to see was.

He slowly walked up the long pathway to the front door, trying to remind himself again what he was doing here. _You're just going to talk to Mrs. Tyman. She seemed to disapprove of her daughter, if I read her right. And she did move her for a very sympathetic reason. She's been through a lot._ His main hope was that maybe he could convince Temira Tyman to talk some sense into her daughter. If Kerri would only promise to stay quiet, this whole thing would be over, and Dawn would never have to know. It was a longshot, but right now it was the best option he had.

He rang the doorbell and waited a few seconds before he heard footsteps on the other side. The door swung open and the regal-looking Temira Tyman, wearing a smart black pantsuit and bright red stilettos, regarded him with curiosity. "You look familiar," she said, obviously trying to place him.

"Yes. I worked here about a month ago, I'm from the moving company. Could I come in? I wanted to talk to you about something that happened while I was here."

She considered this for a moment before stepping back and opening the door wider to allow Connor to enter. He stepped in quickly and she closed the door behind him. "Come with me to the deck, I can get us some tea and we can have a little chat."

"It's okay, I don't need anything. I really just wanted to talk," he said quickly, following her through the house to a small sun porch with a classy table and chairs. He sat down awkwardly in one and she sat down opposite him, staring expectantly and tapping her perfectly manicured fingernails on the table.

"Well, young man...what was your name again?"

"Connor," he said simply.

"Well, Connor. What exactly was it you wanted to talk about? Is the moving company suing me or something?" she asked calmly.

He shook his head quickly. "Oh, no. It has nothing to do with my company. I'm actually here about something that happened to me personally while I was here." He took a breath. "It involves your daughter."

Mrs. Tyman did not look surprised. "So what is Kerri up to now?" she asked dryly.

"Mrs. Tyman, I have a girlfriend. I love her very much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," he said honestly. "But when I was working here, Kerri kept...talking to me. She started telling me all sorts of really personal stuff. And I guess I thought she just needed someone to talk to, but then she kissed me. And I felt horrible about it, because I never wanted to cheat on Dawn. I wanted to tell her the truth, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her I'd kissed someone else. And I thought it had all blown over, but Dawn started school yesterday, and she told me she'd run into Kerri. And from her description of how Kerri treated her, my guess is that she's planning to tell her, and ruin everything."

Mrs. Tyman sighed, massaging her temples. "Oh dear. Well I do have to say that most of that is your problem. What happens to you and your girlfriend is not of any concern to me."

"I understand that. But I would hope that your daughter's actions do concern you," he said seriously. "I really don't want to be rude, but she's a manipulator. And I'm not going to let her interfere with my life."

All of a sudden Mrs. Tyman seemed to crumple. Her whole expression changed from someone calm and together to someone weary and sad. "Oh dear," she said again. "I should have known we couldn't escape it."

"Escape what?" he asked, feeling like he was missing something.

She sighed. "Connor, my daughter is very troubled. In our hometown in Florida, she ran into some...difficulties with some local boys and their families. It got to the point where I didn't know what to do, so Richard and I decided that maybe if we started fresh, moved to another country, she could leave her problems behind and start fresh. But I see she's up to her old tricks again." She paused. "Just out of curiosity, how old are you?"

"Eighteen," he said, very confused at this point. "I don't understand. Kerri told me that you moved here..." he stopped himself, unsure if he could continue.

Anger flashed across Mrs. Tyman's face. "What did Kerri tell you about our moving here?"

He shook his head slightly. "She told me that you moved here because you and Mr. Tyman were having marital problems," he said, not going into the gory details.

"That could not be further from the truth. Richard and I have always been very happy together. The only thing that has ever jeopardized our happiness is our daughter," she said vengefully.

A little taken aback, Connor struggled for what to say next. "What did Kerri do that has caused so many problems?"

She crossed her arms angrily. "The reason I asked how old you were was because my daughter tends to have a 'thing' for younger men. And by younger, I'm talking fourteen years old. High school freshmen. When Kerri was seventeen and a high school junior. And I don't know about Italy, but in Florida being caught in the janitor's closet engaging in inappropriate acts with severely underage boys is highly frowned upon."

Connor found himself suddenly speechless. "Um, wow. I had no idea she would go that far."

"I told you my daughter is deeply troubled. It goes as far back as I can remember. In fifth grade she got in trouble for kissing a boy in class. In middle school she was repeatedly sent home for dressing inappropriately. But you can't possibly understand how the incident last spring impacted Richard's and my lives," she said, building up steam as she got angrier. "We were respected members of the community. School board, parent committee, Homeowner's Association. We lived in a very nice community and led very social lives. Then everything changed. We were ostracized, practically driven out. We barely had any choice but to leave."

Connor shook his head, still in shock. "Were there any charges filed?"

"Filing charges when both parties are underage is a tricky business. There was an investigation, and naturally since Kerri was considerably older she was conveniently blamed entirely. But we managed to come to an agreement to have no charges filed, especially when we informed the other parents we were leaving."

He ran a hand through his chair. Out of all the things he had thought that Mrs. Tyman might have to say, this was definitely not one of them. "Wow...have you considered that maybe she needs professional help?"

To his great surprise, she laughed loudly at this. "Last time I checked having an overactive sex drive and a desperate need for attention didn't make you certifiable."

"Well...maybe its not my place, but there is programs for...sex addicts," he said quickly.

"I hardly think Kerri is addicted to sex. For her, it is more about the attention. She's naturally very flirtatious and seductive. Rejection upsets her a great deal."

"That's probably why she's been out to get me ever since I told her there could never be anything between us," Connor said, understanding. As he looked at the older woman, he realized that the initial impression of togetherness was very inaccurate: Temira Tyman was actually a very emotionally worn-out woman, with a lot of baggage. He supposed that some people tried to forget about their problems by keeping them bottled up inside, and putting on a false air almost made them believe that image themselves. As he looked at her now, she looked about ten years older than she had when she'd answered the door. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. It sounded like Kerri had put her through a lot.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you expect to accomplish from this little chat, Connor?" she asked wearily.

He sighed, sitting back and gazing off into space. "I'm not exactly sure. I guess I've just been feeling horrible since that day here, with Kerri, and I'm just trying to do what I can to save my relationship with Dawn before Kerri tells her and ruins everything."

"If you would like I can attempt to talk some sense into Kerri. But I can't promise that it will do any good," she said honestly.

He nodded. "I understand. And I appreciate all of your help." He stood up. "Thank you."

"Good luck young man," she said. "And I apologize again for my daughter's actions."

He nodded. "It's not your fault. And I think if I learned anything today, its that I have to end this now once and for all." He stood there a moment before nodding a final time to Mrs. Tyman, and then he proceeded slowly to the door. As he stepped outside, he felt sure for the first time in weeks of what he had to do. If anything could be learned from Kerri's mother, it was that you could put up any front you want to the outside world, but it wouldn't make your problems go away, and they would only get worse over time. Connor headed home, knowing without question what he had to do, only wishing he had found the courage to do it sooner.

> > > > >

Dawn entered homeroom that day and smiled when she saw Amelia waving her over. She sat down next to her new friend. "Hey, good morning," Amelia said brightly.

"Hey," Dawn said, a little less than enthusiastically.

Amelia frowned. "Is something wrong? I know I've only known you for like, 24 hours, but I can tell something's up."

Dawn sighed. "Well, you're right. I don't know, its probably nothing, but Connor was just acting weird last night. That seems to be a theme lately." She paused. "I'm a little concerned. We were talking and then all of a sudden he got up and left to go to work."

"Well if he had to work he had to work," Amelia said practically.

Dawn shook her head, unconvinced. "I don't know though. Something's off with him. And to be honest, its scaring me."

"When did this start?" Amelia asked with concern.

She thought back. "I guess it was about two days ago. I know its not that long, but these past couple of days have felt like a lifetime." She shook her head. "I'm probably totally overreacting."

"Well I hope you guys sort things out. I'd love to meet Connor sometime. Just from what you told me yesterday it sounds like you guys have a real fairytale romance almost," Amelia said with a smile.

Dawn tried to smile. "Yeah. We have had some great times."

At that moment Kerri Tyman sauntered into the room, her shampoo commercial hair floating behind her, demanding everyone's attention as she walked by. She stopped when she passed Dawn, flashing her brightest smile. "Hi Dawnie! You look so cute today. That top is to die for."

Dawn glanced down at her purple sweater self-consciously. She didn't reply as Kerri continued to the back of the room. Images of Kristy back in Sunnydale flashed through her mind as she remembered the years of torment that menacing girl had put her through. "Not again," she said quietly as she rose and strode purposefully to the back of the room, leaving Amelia to stare after her in confusion.

Dawn planted herself directly in front of Kerri's desk, demanding her attention. "Okay. I am not going to deal with this. I don't know what your problem is with me, but your phony little compliments and cheesy nicknames aren't going to work for me. I refuse to go through this school year with you smirking at me behind my back for no good reason. This is supposed to be a fresh start for me and I am going to have a good year, whether you like that or not. I just don't understand why. Why did you pick me out of all the girls in this classroom to be the one you can pick on all year? And also, you're never going to call me 'Dawnie' ever again."

Kerri's mouth was literally hanging open at this point. She had never in a million years expected Dawn to show such spunk and stand up to her. She was used to having other girls practically bow down to her. Dawn felt smug when she saw the shocked look on her new rival's face. The rest of the classroom had grown quiet, and a few of the kids were whispering among themselves in Italian, presumably trying to figure out what had just gone down. She stole a look back at Amelia to see her friend staring at her in complete awe, her own mouth also slightly agape.

After one of the longest silent moments of Dawn's life, Kerri finally spoke. "Wow...well I guess I'm sorry."

This time it was Dawn who had to blink a few times. "Did you just apologize?" She hadn't ever thought it would be that easy.

Kerri shrugged. "Yeah. Obviously I underestimated you. I must say, I'm impressed. You've got spunk."

Satisfied and a little triumphant, Dawn nodded, crossing her arms. "Okay. So I guess we understand each other." Deciding there was nothing left to say, she turned and started to walk back to her seat when she heard Kerri say something half under her breath.

"I can see what he sees in you."

Dawn froze in her tracks before slowly turning around. "Excuse me?"

Kerri had an expression on her face that was downright scary: triumphant, wicked, yet nonchalant. "I said I can see what he sees in you. Connor, I mean."

The former Key felt her heart begin to pound loudly in her chest. "How do you know my boyfriend?"

"We had a little encounter a few weeks back. He's a great guy, Connor. Great kisser too."

Dawn felt a hard lump rising in her throat as she stood there frozen to the spot. She tried to move her mouth to speak but no words came.

"He helped my family move here. Very attentive guy. Took care of all of my needs," Kerri said casually, her eyes locked with Dawn's.

Dawn felt her vision start to swim a little as thoughts raced through her mind.

_"American family that just moved into a new development...rich. The daughter's your age. She's going to school next month too. We had a nice chat." _

"Nice chat? Should I be jealous?"

"Of course not. You know I love you. But Kerri, I felt bad for her. Sounds like she's been through a lot."

She had never made the name connection before. But suddenly Connor's behavior over the past few days was starting to fall into place. But she hated where that place was.

She saw images of Kerri bumping into her at the club. That look she had given him...

_"Hey, do you know her or something?" _

"No. Why?"

She grabbed onto a nearby desk to steady herself, pulling her eyes away from Kerri's. _No. She's lying. She has to be. Connor would never..._but whether she liked it or not, if Kerri was telling the truth, it would explain Connor's recent behavior.

_"Very attentive guy. Took care of all of my needs."_

"Go to hell," she finally managed to croak out. She turned around, still a little dazed, and grabbed her bag from the desk. She vaguely heard Amelia say something to her but she just shook her head and hurried from the room, barely noticing the hushed whispers. She almost bumped into the teacher as she hurried out the door. All she could seem to hear were her own footsteps on the tiled hallway and the beating of her own heart in her chest. She had to know. She had to know _now._ _But Connor would never cheat on me._

_Would he?_

> > > > >

TBC!

I feel so evil right now...please review!


	13. Chapter 13: Heartbreak

A/N: You know the drill by now...I'm sorry for the long wait, especially after the way I ended the last chapter. However between an episode to write for a Tru Calling continuation project I'm involved with and some computer issues this past week, it couldn't really be helped. But here you go. If its any consolation, it nearly broke my heart to write this chapter. But I just ask that you all hang in there, and bear with me. Remember that once you hit bottom, the only place you can go is up.

Anyways, enjoy! And the song at the end is Learn to Be Lonely from the Phantom of the Opera movie soundtrack. It fits more perfectly than if I'd written it.

Dedication: To everyone who has continued to follow this story, despite the long wait between updates and the never-ending drama of the Destroyer and the Key, especially Sanity Fair and Daybreak and Destructo Boy for reviewing Chapter 12. Please continue to review! It fuels my muse. Now, with no further ado...

> > > > >

Chapter 13: Heartbreak

Connor walked in the door to the apartment a short while later, feeling apprehensive and confident at the same time. As he flicked on the light and pulled off his coat, he jumped slightly when he saw that he was not alone. "Dawn?" he asked, concern in his voice. She was sitting on the couch staring straight ahead into the dark living room. All the shades were pulled down on the windows. "Dawn?" he repeated, setting his coat down and walking over to her. "Why aren't you in school?"

"Because I'm not," she finally spoke. She looked up at him and Connor was taken aback by her expression. He had never seen her look this way before. She looked angry, upset, and confused at the same time. Her eyes looked moist, but there was no evidence of tears on her face. "Where were you just now," she said, the remark more of a statement than a question.

"I had to settle something," he said, Dawn's actions making him nervous. "Baby, what's wrong?" he reached out to touch her face but she unexpectedly reached up and swatted his hand away.

"Don't call me baby," she said fiercely. She stared straight into his eyes, and Connor felt as if she was looking right through him. The feeling was not pleasant. "I had a little conversation with a girl named Kerri this morning. Name ring any bells?" Connor felt as if his heart dropped from his body completely.

Dawn stood up, crossing her arms tensely and walking slowly to the window, her back to him. There was a long moment of silence as she reached the window and stared ahead at the curtains. Finally her voice cut through the air. "Did you kiss her?"

"Dawn-"

"ANSWER ME!" she yelled, spinning around wildly to face him, the tears glistening in her eyes. His heart broke as he heard the pain in her voice. He realized that he had no other option but to tell the truth.

"Yes. I did. But its not the way you think. She kissed me, Dawn, this girl is trouble, she-" he attempted to explain himself, but she cut him off.

Dawn looked as if she had been slapped across the face. "You kissed another woman? You kissed another woman a few _weeks_ ago and you lied about it to my face? She bumped into me, in the club that night. I asked you if you knew her and you said no!" she said incredulously.

"I don't know why I lied. I wanted to tell you, the day it happened I tried to tell you, but I couldn't bring myself to do that to you. I kept it inside, and it has tortured me Dawn, you couldn't even understand how horrible I've felt-"

"Did you ever think about how _I'd_ feel?" she hissed. "Connor, I love you. And you have told me that you've loved me over and over again, and then you go behind my back with the first girl who looks twice at you?"

"Her family was moving in a few weeks ago. They were American, so the boss sent me and James to do the job. I was just working, and the next thing I know Kerri starts talking to me like she's known me her whole life. She's telling me this really personal stuff, about her parents and everything. She fed me this sob story about how alone she is, and how great it was just to talk to someone. And I must be a complete idiot, because I bought it," he rushed, determined to at least tell his side of the story.

"So what, you decided to kiss it and make it better?" she snapped.

"No. Then the next day we went back, and she started talking to me again. I told her about you, I told her how much I loved you. But she didn't listen, and then she kissed me, before I even knew what was happening-"

"Do you _hear_ yourself?" she demanded.

"Yes I do. And I know it sounds pathetic, but I just have to make you understand I never wanted to hurt you. That was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I love you, so much, and when I realized what had happened and what it could do to you, I guess that all I could think about was protecting you," he pleaded.

"Why didn't you just tell me? I thought we trusted each other, I thought we had a wonderful, open, honest relationship. But I guess that was all a lie too." She paused. "So tell me, Connor. Did you sleep with her?"

He stared at her in shock. "No! I swear to you, I didn't. It was one kiss, that's all. I left that house, I made my boss take me off the job, I never wanted to see her again!"

She seemed to accept that, but her anger was still far from dissipated. "Yeah, but then you heard me talk about another American girl I met in school, and you freaked, right? Because God forbid I find out your dirty little secret."

"Dawn, I am so sorry. I should have told you right away. I was going to tell you this afternoon," he said honestly. "You asked where I was this morning? I went back to their house to talk to Kerri's mother. Dawn, she told me that everything Kerri told me was a lie. Her and her family were kicked out of their community in Florida because she was caught having sex with a fourteen year old boy in a school closet. She has a problem, Dawn, a serious problem."

"Oh, poor Connor, did the big, bad girl get to him? Nice. Nice way to make excuses for your mistakes," she accused harshly.

He realized that it did sound as if he was justifying his own behavior by bringing up Kerri's history. "I didn't mean to make it sound that way. I only wanted to tell you everything, so you can attempt to understand and try to forgive me." He stepped towards her, reaching out and taking her hands. "Please, baby. I love you. I'm so sorry."

Her hands hung limply in his hands as a tear trickled down her cheek. "I never thought I'd be having this conversation with you," she choked tearfully.

"Kerri did this. She hates rejection. When she realized that she could never have anything with me she snapped, that's why she said whatever she said to you today, that's why. She wants to destroy us. We can't let her win, baby, we're stronger than this," he insisted, kissing her hands, tears coming to his own eyes.

"You just don't get it, do you?" she asked suddenly, yanking her hands away and frantically swiping at her tears. "You can place the blame on Kerri all you want. I believe you that she's a pathological slut, or whatever you want to call it. But you were wrong here too, Connor. You kissed her, and lied about it to my face for weeks. You didn't even love me enough to be honest with me."

His heart fell. "I do love you, I love you more than I've ever loved anything. Dawn, you're my whole life. Please, I screwed up, I know I did. Just please tell me what I can do to make you forgive me. I'll do anything."

"Anything?" she whispered, the tears streaming readily now, her not even attempting to stop them.

"Anything. Just please, tell me how I can make this up to you," he begged.

She nodded, barely pausing to think. "Get out."

He froze. "What? No. Baby, you can't do this, we can get past this, I swear it will never happen again-"

"You said you'd do ANYTHING! So I said GET OUT!" she screamed shrilly. "I don't want to look at you. You make me sick."

"Dawn-"

"GET OUT!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with a sob. He stared at her, both of their hearts breaking as they saw the pain in each other's eyes.

He stood there for a long moment before he finally nodded, a tear slipping out of his own eye. "I love you," he said simply, before turning and walking to the apartment door. He opened it and looked back at her, praying that she had changed her mind and would let him hug her tight and promise to spend the rest of his life making up for his mistake. But she was unwavering. He hung his head as he let himself out, closing the door behind.

When he was gone Dawn sobbed, sinking down to the floor of the living room.

> > > > >

Connor walked quickly out of the building, not letting himself release his anger until he was on the street, where he kicked a nearby can, sending it flying as he swore loudly. "Dammit!" he yelled, punching his hand against the brick side of the building, ignoring the pain. He had been too late. He had finally realized what an idiot he'd been for keeping this secret for so long, and by the time he had gathered up the courage to come clean it had been too late. Now he might have lost Dawn for good.

"No. I won't let that happen," he said aloud. "I can't let myself lose her. She's all I have." An old man walked by, staring at him strangely as he talked to himself. "What are you looking at?" Connor barked. The old man put his head down and scurried along hurriedly.

"Look what you've done," he muttered to himself, leaning against the wall of the building. "Look what you've done."

> > > > >

After a few moments of just sitting there and sobbing, Dawn forced herself to get up. She walked to the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. She took a long look at herself in the mirror. _Who am I now? Who am I without him?_

She forced herself to snap out of it, going into her bedroom..._their_ bedroom. She looked around, seeing so many reminders of him. One of his shirts sticking out of the dresser drawers, a picture of the two of them on the dresser. Buffy had taken it on the plane on the way over from LA. They were both smiling, and Connor had his arm around her. They looked so happy. She quickly reached out and snatched up the picture. She opened the closet door and tossed it onto the top shelf, hearing it land with a clunk. She looked at his modest wardrobe hanging there in front of her. Turning suddenly, she left the room, coming back a moment later with his suitcase. She pulled clothes out in piles and stuffed them in unceremoniously. It didn't take long to empty the closet of his things. Their only possessions had been purchased after the final battle in Sunnydale, and Connor, not being a fan of shopping, had never gotten as much as Buffy or Dawn. Finished with the closet, she moved to the dresser, piling his underwear and socks into the suitcase in a heap. When she was fairly certain she had removed all traces of him from the bedroom, she moved to the bathroom, gathering his deodorant, after shave, and other toiletries and stuffing them in on top of the clothes. Then she finally zipped the suitcase, thinking for a moment that it was kind of sad that all of his worldly possessions could fit in one suitcase.

She picked up the bag, carrying it to the front door of the apartment. She stepped out into the hall, leaving it next to the door. At this point she could care less if someone stole his stuff. She was pretty sure none of it meant anything to him anyway. She had been the one to talk him into buying most of it.

She closed the door and slowly walked back to the living room. She reached up to pull her hair back from her face, and her finger snagged on something. She emitted a tiny sob, breaking down again as she pulled the heart shaped pendant out from under her shirt. Her fingers shook as she unclasped it, squeezing it tight in her hand as she let the tears flow once more.

She wasn't quite sure how long she sat there for crying her eyes out before a key turned in the lock and her sister stepped inside. "Hey Dawnie, what's that suitcase in the hall for?" she called out, freezing upon seeing her sister crumpled and broken on the living room floor. "Dawnie? Dawnie!" she dropped everything and rushed to her side, cupping her tear-streaked face with both hands. "What happened?"

"It's over," Dawn sobbed. "Connor cheated on me."

Buffy drew back, shock clearly displayed across her face. "He did what?"

"He kissed this other girl, and lied to me about it," Dawn managed to choke out. "We broke up."

"Oh Dawnie," Buffy muttered, hugging her sister as tight as she could. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Dawn whispered, closing her eyes, feeling safe in her sister's embrace.

> > > > >

James swung open the door of his college dorm room later that day, very surprised to see Connor standing there. "Hey! What brings you here?"

"Dawn found out. Kerri told her today. She kicked me out," he said, managing to sum up the trillion thoughts running through his head in three tiny sentences.

"Oh man. I'm sorry. Come in," James said, a sympathetic look on his face as he held the door open.

Connor walked into the tiny, single person room. "I just can't believe how badly I screwed everything up."

"She took it that bad, huh," James said sadly.

"Bad is an understatement," Connor retorted, sitting down on the bed. "Sorry for showing up unexpected. But I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"It's okay, man. It's a little cramped, but you're welcome to crash here until you work things out with Dawn again," James offered. He paused. "You do think you guys will make up, right?"

Connor groaned, placing his head in his hands. "I don't know. I really don't know. You didn't see her, James. She hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She loves you, any idiot can see that. She just needs time. She'll get over it eventually. Its not like you slept with Kerri...wait, you didn't, did you?" James asked nervously. Connor just gave him a look. "Yeah. Of course you didn't. Sorry."

"And you know what's really pathetic? I finally figured out today that I had to come clean. Tell Dawn everything. And then I get home to find Dawn having left school because that bitch told her." Connor proceeded to tell James what Temira Tyman had told him this morning. When he was done James let out a low whistle.

"Wow. I mean, I knew that Kerri was a ho, but that's pretty hardcore," he admitted.

"I know. And like the idiot I am, I tried to use that to justify to Dawn what happened. But it was my fault too. This whole mess is my fault."

"Connor, you and Dawn have something special. I know that doesn't just go away overnight. You'll see, she just needs time. I know you guys will get back together," James insisted.

Connor blinks back more tears, determined not to cry in front of James. "I don't know. It just scares me though. She's my whole life. She's all I've got. I don't know how to function without her."

"You've still got work," James said, trying to sound optimistic.

Connor glares at him. "If it wasn't for that stupid job, none of this would have happened in the first place."

"Yeah, true," James admitted. He anxiously glanced at the clock. "Hey, I'm sorry to leave now man, but I've got class. You can chill here if you want, I'll be back in a couple hours."

"Okay. No problem. And thanks again. For everything," Connor said sincerely.

James nodded. "Hang in there." He gathered up his books and headed out the door.

Once he was gone Connor sat there alone, clueless as to what to do next. He realized that all of his possessions were back at the apartment. He considered going back to get them. It was something to do, and he did need his stuff, but he also may have to see Dawn again, and he knew she wasn't ready for that.

"I'll just go, and see if I can grab my stuff unnoticed," he muttered to himself, standing up and hurrying from the room.

> > > > >

"So then I told him to leave," Dawn said tearfully, as she sat on the couch holding her sister's hand. She had just managed to force her way through the entire horrible story of what had happened that morning that had turned her entire life upside down.

"Oh Dawnie," Buffy said, still reeling from what her sister had just said. She shook her head, fuming at Connor. "I could kill him for doing this to you."

"I never thought this would happen," Dawn said quietly. "I was so stupid. I thought we had some perfect love, and we would just live happily ever after without any problems. I guess I forgot that Connor is a guy, and guys just can't make things simple."

"I can certainly agree with that," Buffy said bitterly, reflecting on her own painful history with men. She looked back at her sister. "So what happens now? What are you going to do about school?"

Dawn groaned. "Thanks for reminding me that I have to see that bitch every day. I don't know if I can deal with that Buffy. I know she's going to keep harassing me about it."

"I won't let her," Buffy promised firmly. "I feel bad enough that you're in so much pain right now. I will not let this Kerri cause you any more problems. She will have to deal with me first."

Dawn managed a weak smile, feeling slightly better with her sister on her side. "But Buffy, I feel so lost. I don't know how I'm supposed to live without him."

"Oh Dawnie. You'll manage. I know it seems right now like you'll never get over him, and you'll never be happy again, but that's not true. The pain will pass. It takes time, but eventually you will be able to move on," Buffy said, speaking from experience.

Dawn shook her head. "It sure doesn't feel like that right now. It feels like he took a big piece of my heart with him when he walked out that door."

Buffy wrapped her arms around her sister again, hugging her close as her heart broke for her. _How could Connor do this to her?_ she thought furiously. _He always seemed so loyal and devoted._ She sighed. _I guess Dawn was right. Men just can't be trusted._

They stayed like that for a while longer until Buffy caught sight of the clock out of the corner of her eye. "Oh no, I forgot, I'm supposed to meet Gina to patrol tonight," she said guiltily. "I'll call her and cancel."

Dawn sat up. "No, it's okay. You can go. I'll be fine."

"No, I don't want to leave you alone like this," Buffy said firmly.

"No, really. Go with Gina. Just don't be gone too long," Dawn added.

Buffy looked hesitant, but finally gave in. "Okay. I have my cell phone. If you need anything, or just want me to come back, call me and I'll be here as fast as I can."

Dawn forced a smile. "I will. Now go."

"Okay. I'm going. But when I get home, we can talk some more if you want," Buffy said, giving her sister another tight hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Hang in there Dawnie." She stared sadly at her heartbroken sister as she slowly left the apartment.

Once Buffy was out in the hallway, she closed her eyes. "Mom, I really need you right now. Dawnie really needs you right now. Please give her the strength to get through this," Buffy whispered into the night. She knew her sister was exceptionally strong, but part of her feared that this was a blow she might never fully recover from. She finally set off to patrol after one last look at the closed door, her heart heavy with worry.

> > > > >

_"Oh Fiyero, l'amo cosí molto. Comunque, sono un sorceress di albino e ho avuto una volta una storia d'amore con mio fratello. Lei mai sarB in grado di amarme?" _

"Oh Desdemona, il mio cuore batte soltanto per lei. L'amo malgrado I suoi numerosi difetti, e malgrado il fatto ho divorziato appena sua madre."

Dawn sat on the couch eating cookie dough ice cream out of the container, staring mournfully at the insanely melodramatic Italian soap opera as a stunning, raven-haired beauty appeared to tearfully confess her love for a shirtless, muscle-bound man. She didn't even make an effort to try and translate their words in her mind, just listening to the sounds of the elegant language and drowning her sorrows in the pint of ice cream.

Meanwhile, Connor slowly walked up the steps and began to traverse the hallway, pausing momentarily upon seeing his suitcase sitting outside the door. Conflicting emotions ran through his head; part of him was disappointed that now he would have no excuse to see her again, but part of his was also relieved because he had no more to say in his defense than he had a few hours ago. With a sigh he slowly walked to the door and bent down to pick up the bag, wrapping his hand tightly around the handle. He lingered there by the door, listening for sounds from inside. His abnormally acute hearing picked up the sounds of Italian voices, presumably coming from the tv. He wondered what she was doing right now, what she was thinking.

Dawn suddenly straightened on the couch, a sort of chill running down her spine. Something was different...after a moment of confusion, some part of her subconscious decided that it was him. She could tell that he was close. On autopilot, she set her ice cream down on the coffee table, turning down the volume of the tv. She walked towards the door without thinking of what she was doing, pausing when she reached it.

Child of the wilderness  
Born into emptiness  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to find your way in darkness

Who will be there for you  
Comfort and care for you  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to be your one companion

She felt the tears return and start down her cheek, not bothering to wipe them away as she automatically reached out and placed the palm of her hand on the door. On the other side, he did the same, his eyes closed in an attempt to suppress the pain he was feeling at not being able to go inside, take her in his arms, shower her with kisses, and promise her that everything was going to be okay.

She felt the tears return and start down her cheek, not bothering to wipe them away as she automatically reached out and placed the palm of her hand on the door. On the other side, he did the same, his eyes closed in an attempt to suppress the pain he was feeling at not being able to go inside, take her in his arms, shower her with kisses, and promise her that everything was going to be okay. 

Never dreamed out in the world  
There are arms to hold you  
You've always known your heart was on its own

So laugh in your loneliness  
Child of the wilderness  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn how to love life that is lived alone

Fully aware of the fact that the door was the only thing separating them, he slowly removed his hand, breaking the unspoken, unseen connection between them. He stared at the door for another long moment before hefting his suitcase and slowly leaving the building.

She could tell when he left, and she slowly crumpled her hand into a fist as it drifted back to her side. Looking for some kind of confirmation, she opened the door, not surprised to see that the suitcase she had hastily packed earlier was now gone. Against her better judgement she stepped into the hallway, scanning left and right, some part of her hoping he wasn't gone yet. But there was no one to be seen.

_Learn to be lonely  
Life can be lived, life can be loved alone_

She stepped back inside, closing the door. Trying to move on from the moment she had just experienced, she made her way back to the couch, cranking up the volume once again, not bothering to revisit her ice cream. She changed the channel and found a game show. At least people winning expensive luxury cars was a little more uplifting than the sorrows of Fiyero and Desdemona.

She had barely been sitting for five minutes when a faint knock sounded at the door. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind at once as she stared at the door. Then the person knocked again. Deciding that Buffy had been too worried and had come home early, she walked quickly to the door. When she opened it and her eyes fell on the caller, she blinked in surprise, stunned to see this person standing at her doorstep.

"Faith?"

> > > > >

TBC! Please review!


	14. Chapter 14: Similarities and Differences

A/N: I hope everyone had a happy holiday! Last chapter of 2005! It's a nice long one for you...as always, enjoy, and please review! Happy new year! Many thanks to Sanity Fair and Katie for reviewing the last chapter. Glad you guys approved of my visitor...I know people have been clamoring to see more of the Sunnydale gang. Faith isn't probably exactly who you expected, but I think you'll enjoy it. :)

> > > > >

Chapter 14: Similarities and Differences

Dawn stared at the brunette slayer in surprise, not sure what to say. "Faith, wow, what are you doing here?"

"Sorry for randomly showing up...I just got to town and I figured I'd may as well just swing by." Faith glanced over Dawn's shoulder into the apartment. "Your sister home?"

"No," Dawn said. "She's at work. She'll be home soon." She realized that she should probably invite her in. "Come in." She stepped back, opening the door wide. As Faith entered, she noticed for the first time that she was carrying a small duffel bag. "So what brings you to Rome? Kind of a long way from New York. Is it slayer business?"

Faith slowly walked into the living room of the apartment, taking in the surroundings. "Nice place you've got here," she said, completely avoiding the question.

Dawn frowned. Something was off. Faith seemed more...timid than usual. The old Faith never would have waited for you to invite her in before making herself at home. She thought for a second. "Is Principal Wood- I mean, Robin here in Rome, too?"

Faith paused near the window, her face turned away from Dawn's as she stared out the window into the dark night. "Robin's dead."

Dawn felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in that news. "Oh my God..." she suddenly felt a wave of sympathy for Faith. "I'm really sorry." Faith nodded in silent thanks. Dawn hesitated, unsure of what she should do now. "What happened?" she asked, against her better judgement. "Was it..."

"Vampires. We were fighting a group of them in New York. I thought he had it under control. Robin could always handle himself, ya know. I didn't think he needed help..." she turned around to face Dawn, failing at hiding the pain in her eyes. "And then the next thing I knew..." she paused. "I guess one of them must have come up from behind and..." her voice trailed off.

"It's not your fault," Dawn said firmly. "It sounds like it was an accident."

Faith let out an odd laugh, the loudest sound she had made since her arrival. "Sure. Whatever you wanna call it."

Things began to make sense. "So, you just here in Rome to get away?" Dawn prodded.

Faith shrugged. Something came over her face, possibly embarrassment. "I didn't really see the point of staying. For the city that never sleeps, there really isn't that much vamp activity. I didn't feel like going to England to deal with a million adolescent girls with superpowers, so I thought I'd swing by and see if B needed any help. You know, with the slaying."

_She was lonely,_ Dawn thought. _And after all they've been through, Buffy's the closest thing to a friend she has_. "Well I'm sure Buffy wouldn't mind if you stayed here with us for a few days. If you don't mind the couch."

Faith started to shake her head. "I can get my own place, plus it must be a little crowded here, with you, big sis, and Angel junior...where is Connor?"

Dawn felt as if Faith had physically punched her when she spoke his name. "Connor's not here," she managed to croak out. "He...left." _Well actually, I kicked him out. Same difference._

Faith stared at her in confusion until realization dawned on her. She straightened. "Wait a second...you don't mean that you two..."

"He cheated," Dawn said, wrapping her arms around herself in a protective gesture. "It's kind of a long story and I'd rather not go into it right now."

Now it was Faith's turn to look at Dawn in sympathy. "Wow. Sorry. I thought you guys were going for the whole white picket fence thing."

"Me too," Dawn admitted, sitting back down on the couch. "You know, I think I might have been able to forgive him if he'd just told me right away. But no, that would have been much too easy. Instead he had to wait a month for me to find out from the girl." She wasn't quite sure why she had just shared that, but it felt better than keeping it all in.

"Men. Why do they have to be so damn heroic," Faith said, sitting next to Dawn.

"And stubborn," Dawn added. "I'm starting to think that maybe Willow had the right idea." Faith laughed at that. The two of them sat there in silence for a few moments.

"Well, if you want me to go find Connor and teach him a lesson, could be great anger management. Or for even more fun we could go pay this ho he cheated with a visit," Faith said with a mean smile.

"Believe me, that sounds very appealing. But I really don't think it's the answer," Dawn said regretfully.

"But it could still be fun," Faith pointed out.

Now it was Dawn's turn to let out a pathetic little laugh. "Can't argue with you there." There was another moment of silence, but it wasn't awkward silence. Dawn and Faith had never been close, had never even really liked each other, but they had bonded a little during the end of their time in Sunnydale and right now they had more in common than either of them had ever thought they would.

"Do you mind if I use your shower?" Faith asked suddenly. "It was a long flight."

"Sure, its right through there," Dawn said, pointing to the bathroom.

"Thanks," Faith said, picking up her bag. She headed into the bathroom and closed the door. When she was alone again Dawn didn't turn the tv back on. Instead she just sat there, deep in thought about Faith. It was obvious that Robin's death had affected her more than she was letting on. If she had felt lonely enough to hop a plane to the other side of the world to show up unexpected at the apartment of the girl who had once put her in a coma, things had to be pretty bad.

_Maybe she came at just the right time. Maybe we can help each other_, Dawn thought optimistically. At that moment a key turned in the door, interrupting her thoughts. Buffy entered, carrying a pizza box in one hand. "Dawnie, hey. I couldn't stay at work, I was too worried about you, so I left early. And I grabbed some comfort food." She stopped in her tracks halfway to the couch, frowning. "Is the shower running?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, that's not...you aren't..."

"No. Nothing like that. Actually, believe it or not, its Faith," Dawn said, rising to her feet. "She showed up here a few minutes ago." She moved so she was in front of her sister. "Buffy, Robin's dead."

Shock, followed by sadness became evident on her sister's face. She didn't say anything, just closed her eyes for a second as she set the forgotten pizza down on the counter. Dawn decided to continue. "I couldn't get her to tell me much, but it sounds like she feels responsible. They were fighting, and she thought he had it under control when a vamp surprised him."

Buffy rubbed her forehead. "She really cared about him. I could tell then, and I'm sure they only got closer over the past few months."

"I know. And she would never admit this, but I think she came here because, well, she didn't know where else to go. She's lonely," Dawn said, having no trouble relating.

Buffy appeared to be thinking. "Well, she can stay here with us as long as she wants. It might be nice having someone else around, to keep your mind off of..." she didn't bother saying it.

Dawn nodded quickly. "Yeah." She noticed that the shower had stopped. A few seconds later Faith emerged, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt presumably from her bag, drying her hair with a towel. She immediately noticed Buffy standing there and nodded in her direction.

"Hey B. Good to see you," she said sincerely.

Buffy gave her a smile. "Hi Faith. Dawn told me what happened...I'm sorry. Robin was a really good guy."

"One of the best," Faith said in quiet agreement. Her eyes darted around, seemingly looking for some quick excuse to change the subject. They fell upon the pizza box on the counter and seemed to light up. "Hey, is anyone gonna eat that? The food on the flight was totally not edible." She made a beeline for the kitchen before she got a response. Buffy and Dawn exchanged wry looks. _This_ was the Faith they remembered.

> > > > >

"So other than this chick Gina, not much in the line of newbie slayers?" Faith said conversationally as she started in on her fourth slice of pizza.

Buffy shook her head sheepishly. "And to be honest, we found Gina kind of accidentally...Dawn saw an article in the paper about a girl who fought off a group of vampires on one of our first days here. Well, it didn't say vampires, but you know. I feel kind of bad that I haven't been looking harder for more girls. Its just been a little crazy, first it was finding the apartment, then it was finding work. Now Dawn's in school, and we've just been spending most of our time getting our own lives in order."

"Don't worry about it. You did enough. You were _the _slayer for years, you deserve a little vacation time," Faith insisted.

Buffy gave her a little smile. It was strange...she and Faith had a very messy history, and things were never going to be quite normal between them. But she knew they had an understanding now, and she couldn't deny that Faith probably understood her better than most people, considering that they were both slayers.

Dawn finished her pizza and her eyes wandered to the clock. She was initially surprised when she saw that it was after eleven pm. But when she thought back to how different her life had been only fifteen hours earlier, it seemed like a month had passed since that morning. She realized all of a sudden that she was very tired. She cleared her throat to get her sister's attention. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm pretty beat."

Buffy nodded quickly, the concern and sympathy from before returning to her eyes. "Yes, you've had a...long day. And you have school tomorrow," she added without thinking.

"No I don't," Dawn said, softly but firmly. "I'm not going tomorrow. I can't face Kerri."

"I understand," Buffy said. She looked a little apprehensive. "I hate to sound mean...but you really shouldn't miss that much school, its only the first week-"

"I know," Dawn cut her off. "I just need a little more time." A part of her felt like a wimp for not showing up at school tomorrow. She knew it would give Kerri great satisfaction. But her more rational and exhausted side knew that she would never be able to make it through the day in her current emotional state. She slowly rose from her seat. "I guess I'll see you in the morning." She paused. "Its good to see you again Faith," she added, realizing that she meant it. For a brief moment she flashed back to a conversation she had with the slayer in the Bronze back in Sunnydale only mere months before...a conversation that had gone on to change her life. She blocked the thought, knowing where it led.

"You too Dawn," Faith said.

Buffy got up to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Dawnie. If you need anything..."

"I know." Dawn forced one last smile before retiring to her room for the night.

Once she was gone Faith looked at Buffy, her eyes serious. "Poor kid. He really did a number on her."

"Tell me about it," Buffy said angrily. "I hate seeing her like this. I'm really worried about her, Faith. Connor was practically her whole life. And now that things ended the way they did, I'm afraid she won't be able to recover."

"She'll deal. It'll be hard, but she'll move on. Just like you and Angel," Faith pointed out.

_Who said I recovered from that,_ Buffy thought sadly to herself. They sat in silence for a minute.

"Well I had a long day...Dawn said I could crash on the couch," Faith said, gesturing to it slightly awkwardly.

Buffy nodded quickly, realizing the subject of her staying hadn't really come up. "Yeah, sure. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like." As she spoke the words, she realized that she really meant them.

> > > > >

Dawn hadn't thought about this when she'd eagerly come to bed. She hadn't considered the fact that she was coming to bed alone for the first time in months. As she lied there in the dark barely able to make out the ceiling, the cold, empty space next to her held her attention. Although it was in reality only a small space, it felt like a continent. She wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lip as she stared into the blackness around her. She felt so incredibly alone. She put a hand over her mouth when the first sob came, not wanting to break down again. But she found she couldn't help it. All she could do was turn over, shove her face into the pillow, and cry herself to sleep.

> > > > >

Connor lied on the floor of James's dorm room, clutching a flimsy blanket, his head on a pillow that didn't do much to cushion him against the hard, wood floor. The small space between the bed where James was sleeping soundly and the dresser that his left shoulder was pressing against should have made him claustrophobic, but he had too much on his mind to think about it. He realized with great sadness that this was the first night in months that he hadn't gone to bed with her, and fallen asleep in her arms. He couldn't simply reach out and touch her, or kiss her. He closed his eyes and forced himself to picture her: her silky brown hair, her wide, innocent eyes, that infectious smile. He thought of where she was right now, and his heart nearly shattered when he thought of her lying in their bed all alone. _At least she has Buffy,_ he thought. _Gosh, she probably hates me right now._ _Nice goin', in addition to screwing up your whole life you probably moved yourself to the top of the slayer's hit list_, he thought sarcastically. He rolled over, instantly regretting it when his shoulder rammed into the bed. He cursed quietly. He settled back into the most comfortable position he could find and closed his eyes forcefully, trying to will himself to sleep. But it didn't work very well, since every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was Dawn.

> > > > >

The next morning Dawn was awoken by sunlight streaming in the window. She rubbed her forehead. It had taken her a very long time to go to sleep last night, and when she had nodded off she had slept fitfully. She glanced at her clock on the bedside and realized in surprise that it was after eleven. She never slept this late.

She got up out of bed, pulling on her robe and running a brush through her hair. She walked into the living room, which was empty except for Faith, who was sitting on the couch, frowning at a newspaper. She looked up when she heard Dawn. "Morning," she said.

"Did Buffy go to work?" Dawn asked, unable to recall her sister's ever-changing schedule.

"Yeah, she left a while ago. She told me to tell you there's pancakes in the fridge you can heat up." The slayer frowned at the newspaper. "How the hell am I supposed to stay current when everything's in Italian?"

A smile played at Dawn's lips as she headed for the fridge. "You could always learn Italian. Its really not that bad."

Faith stared at her like she had three heads. "I can barely speak _English_."

Dawn laughed as she unwrapped the pancakes, popping them in the toaster. "So were you comfortable on the couch?" she asked, eager to make small talk. It distracted her from less pleasant thoughts.

Faith nodded. "It was fine. Slept about as good as I have been lately..." Her voice faded off.

Dawn stared at her. "When did it happen?" She knew she didn't need to specify what she was talking about.

"Six days," Faith said, her eyes dropping to the paper again.

_Less than a week_, Dawn thought. "Have you...you know, talked about it?" she asked.

She continued to stare at the same article. "I've never been one to discuss my feelings," she said a little sharply.

Dawn thought about how to word what she wanted to say. "Yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my life. Definitely the worst since mom died. And I know that I have more hard days ahead of me. But even when it was all so new, I talked about it. I told C-Connor how I felt and I talked to my sister. It does help, you know."

Faith looked at her, her eyes frosted over. "Dawnie, I appreciate the whole shrink thing you're trying to do, really. But I'm not here for a shoulder to cry on."

"Then why are you here?" Dawn said, suddenly feeling bold. "You came because you were lonely, you obviously wanted-"

"Who says I was lonely? If I really wanted someone to kiss it and make it better I really don't think I'd choose the person who once put me in a coma," she said viciously.

"But you did," Dawn said firmly. "You came here because you needed something from us. I know how you feel, Faith. I'm going through more or less the same thing you are."

"Connor's not dead," Faith shot back, rising from the couch. "Robin is. And I'm responsible. You can't possibly compare a little breakup to causing someone you love to die." She got a startled look on her face when she realized what had just slipped out.

Dawn suddenly felt guilty. Was she being incredibly self-centered to compare her own problems to Faith's? However badly things had ended with Connor, he was still alive. That couldn't compare to the heartache of knowing you'll never see him again...at least not in this life. "I'm sorry," Dawn apologized. "I shouldn't have-"

"Forget it," Faith said coolly. She reached for her leather jacket, pulling it on quickly. "I need some air," she mumbled, heading for the door. She was gone before Dawn could call after her.

"Well I guess I can cross therapist off the possible career choices list," Dawn muttered to herself. She unexpected sound of her forgotten pancakes popping out of the toaster made her jump. She took a deep breath as she tossed them on a plate. This was going to be another long day.

> > > > >

Faith walked along the sidewalk briskly, taking in the sounds and sights of Rome. She had no idea where she was going, and realized that she hadn't even been paying attention. Getting back to the apartment might be a big of a trick now. But at this point, she could care less.

Images of Robin flashed through her mind as they often did. The one that stayed the longest and the clearest was her last image of him alive: staring at her with a look of shock and horror in his eyes in the last millisecond before that horrible crack sounded through the air. The vampire released his now broken neck and he crumpled to the ground. As the memory played she could hear her own strangled scream, and feel the soles of her shoes run to him, even though she knew it was too late. This was the memory that woke her up in the middle of the night, the one that she knew would always haunt her.

She tried to snap out of her thoughts by watching the people on the street. There wasn't too much activity in this neighborhood at this time of day, mostly little old ladies doing their daily shopping. She saw someone out of the corner of her eye, standing at a newsstand. She quickly did a double-take when she realized who it was. "Small world," she said to herself as she quickly closed the gap between herself and Connor. She stood behind him nonchalantly, waiting until he was done paying for whatever he was buying. As he turned around, shifting his bag to the other hand while he put his wallet away, he looked up and stepped back instinctively upon seeing her. "Faith," he said, surprise clear in his voice. "What are you..."

"Just paying B a visit," she said quickly, not willing to discuss her real reason for being here. Her expression was stern as she stared at him.

He looked down at his feet. "So I take it you're staying with Buffy and..."

"And Dawn? Yes, as a matter of fact I am," she said coolly.

Connor got a funny look on his face at the mention of her name. "How is she? Dawn, I mean." It was clear that Faith knew what had happened, so he didn't need to explain.

"How do you think she is?" Faith asked him.

Connor seemed to shrink a few inches. "I'm an idiot."

"Yeah, can't say I'd disagree with that," she said matter-of-factly.

Connor shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I know what I did was wrong. I know you probably want to kick my ass right now...actually, why would you? You never even got along that well with Dawn."

"Well maybe I understand what she's going through right now." The words poured out of her mouth before she even remembered thinking them.

"I miss her," he said quietly.

"You should," she said simply. She started to turn away, deciding the conversation was over.

"Faith, wait," he called after her. She stopped, but didn't turn around. He hesitated. "Tell Dawn..." he thought hard, trying to come up with something he could say to express how he was feeling without sounding like an asshole. "Just tell her that I love her." He thought he saw Faith nod before she hurried down the street.

> > > > >

Dawn was flipping channels on the tv when the knock sounded at the door that afternoon. She got up and hurried to answer it. It had to be Faith, she had been gone for almost three hours now and she didn't have a key. She swung the door open and was surprised to find Amelia standing on the other side, a pile of books in her arm. "Amelia, oh my God," she said. "How did you even find me?"

"I got your address from our homeroom teacher...I told her you were out for personal reasons, and offered to bring you homework." She gestured to the books in her hands. "Really I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Dawn quickly ushered her in, and she set the books down on the counter. Instinctively the two girls who barely knew each other hugged. When they pulled back Dawn sighed. "So I'm assuming you figured out what happened."

"I think I pieced together most of it," Amelia said sadly. "Is it over? With you and Connor?"

Dawn nodded. "I kicked him out yesterday. He admitted to kissing Kerri."

"Oh Dawn. I'm so sorry," her friend said.

Dawn went over to sit on the couch, gesturing to Amelia to follow. "So on a scale from one to ten, how triumphant was Kerri when I didn't show up to school today?"

Amelia looked at her uncertainly, as if she was unsure if she should sugarcoat the news. Finally she just told the truth. "About an eleven. I won't lie to you, she has been talking. But in her version, she and Connor did a lot more than kiss."

Dawn felt the anger bubbling up again. "They didn't though. He told me everything."

"You believe him?" Amelia asked.

Dawn sighed, pushing her hair back from her face. "That's the really screwed up part. I do. I could tell he was telling the truth. After everything that happened, he wouldn't lie to me about that."

"Well for what its worth, I told Kerri to get a life," Amelia said.

Dawn looked up at her. "You did what?"

Amelia smiled sheepishly. "She was telling all the other girls about how she stole your boyfriend away from you, and I went over and told her to get a life and stop gloating about what a ho she is."

She stared at her in disbelief. "You didn't."

"Well, not that last part. But I did tell her to get a life," Amelia said with a laugh.

Dawn shook her head. "Wow. I can't believe you would do that for me...we barely even know each other."

Amelia shrugged this off. "You were nicer to me than anyone has been ever since I moved here. I wasn't about to just sit there and let her say those things about you."

Dawn smiled, feeling really flattered. "Thank you so much. That's probably one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me."

Amelia smiled back. "So, when do you think you're going to come back to school?"

Dawn sighed. "I don't know. I know I'm stupid for missing days in the first week, but I just couldn't have faced her today. I'll probably come in on Monday, give myself the weekend to pull myself together. Come up with a plan of attack."

"You don't have to defend yourself to her. You shouldn't care what Kerri and her friends think of you. Feel free to just ignore her," Amelia urged.

"I'll probably end up doing that, unless I can somehow summon the bravery to say something to her," Dawn agreed. A wry smile came across her face. "He was going to tell me. Bad timing, huh." Amelia didn't say anything, so Dawn continued. "I guess he talked to Kerri's mom. Turned out everything she told him to get him all sympathetic was a big lie. She got kicked out of her school in Florida for fooling around with underage boys."

"Wow," Amelia said. "That's serious."

Dawn nodded. "But that still doesn't excuse what happened."

"You're more upset about the fact that he lied to you," Amelia said, beginning to understand.

Dawn leaned back on the couch. "I'm pretty sure he is the only person in my life who had never lied to me." _My whole existence has always been one big lie_, she thought bitterly.

"You miss him," her new friend replied.

Dawn nodded. "I do. But I think I miss what we had more."

"This might be way out of line...but its not too late. You could have that back. It would be hard, you would have to learn to trust him again, but-"

"You mean, I should take him back?" Dawn said. The words sounded very strange. She realized that of all the thoughts that had coursed through her mind in the past 30 hours or so, a reconciliation had not been one of them.

Amelia shrugged awkwardly. "That's for you to decide. But just don't forget its an option. Unless you don't love him anymore." Dawn didn't need to reply to that.

Dawn inhaled slowly. "Do you mind if we talk about something else now?"

"No," Amelia said quickly.

Amelia ended up staying for another half hour or so, as they made meaningless small talk about everything from friends and family to the weather in Rome. Then Amelia announced that she had to be getting home, and Dawn showed her to the door. "Thank you. For the homework, but mostly for being a friend," she said sincerely.

Amelia smiled sadly at her. "Hang in there, okay?" Dawn nodded as she watched Amelia's blonde head walk slowly down the hallway to the stairs. She closed the door, and went to sit at the counter. She pulled the top book off the stack that Amelia had brought and skimmed the paper with the assignment on it. It was math. Math was the same in any language. She found a pen and started doing the problems. It was review, she had covered this last year in Sunnydale, before the school had went on an extended vacation due to pending apocalypse. She found comfort in doing something fairly mindless, something that forced her to think about something other than her problems. However, she finished the assignment quickly, and the distracted serenity was quickly replaced by her conflicting thoughts came rushing back.

_"That's for you to decide. But just don't forget its an option. Unless you don't love him anymore."_

There was no question as to if she still loved Connor. Of course she did. She knew that you didn't feel something like that only to have it disappear overnight. But she no longer trusted him. She knew that were she alone with him again, she would not feel so overwhelmingly safe and loved. She realized that in the hundreds of hours where she had thought blissfully of her future with Connor, not one of the visions had ever included this. For some reason, even though she had spent her life watching her sister experience failed relationship after failed relationship, heartbreak after heartbreak, she had never imagined it happening to her. She had been under the impression that what she had with Connor was unbreakable. "I'm an idiot," she said out loud, staring down at her completed math problems. A tentative knock at the door got her up out of her stool. She swung the door open, not surprised to see Faith standing there. "I thought maybe I'd scared you off for good," she said dryly.

Faith silently entered the apartment. "I just needed some air." She paused. "I saw Connor."

Dawn felt her heart and stomach do a little flip. "How is he?"

"Seemed pretty broken up," Faith said honestly, turning to look at Dawn. "He told me to tell you he loves you."

Upon hearing that she wanted to cry, but the tears didn't come. She suspected that she was all cried out for the time being. She closed her eyes. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I was only trying to help."

Faith nodded, accepting the apology. "Yeah. Whatever. Look, maybe I am here because I needed the company. But I never said I wanted someone to analyze my problems." She took a breath. "When I want that kind of help I'll say so." She glanced around. "I'm gonna go take a shower." Dawn watched as she quickly disappeared into the bathroom.

_It's funny. How some people deal with grief so differently,_ she bemused. She sat back down, wishing for a brief second that she could be more like Faith, that she could force her feelings away and put up a tough exterior. That skill might come in handy for Monday, when she had to face Kerri. _You'll get through it. You're a Summers. Summers women are tough_, she thought wryly. But somehow she wasn't feeling so strong anymore.

> > > > >

TBC...


	15. Chapter 15: Life Goes On, Or Does It?

A/N: Here it is, Chapter 15! Wow, it's amazing that I've been writing this fic for over a year now. It has been awesome so far, and I know it will continue to be. Many thanks to everyone who continues to support this story, it means so much to me. Enjoy!

> > > > >

Chapter 15: Life Goes On...Or Does It?

When Dawn's alarm clock went off on Monday morning, she had already been awake for several minutes, staring at the ceiling. She listened to the penetrating buzzing noise for a few seconds before switching it off. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stuck her feet in her slippers. She slowly padded over to the bathroom, where she stared at herself in the mirror.

"You can do this," she said quietly to her reflection. Slowly, she stripped down and took a hot shower, jolting herself completely awake. When she was done she wrapped herself in a towel and slowly made her way to her closet. She knew that she had to put careful thought into her appearance today. Donning the sweat pants and sweatshirt she'd lived in all weekend would make her seem broken and depressed. She needed to put up a strong, poised front for Kerri, even if it wasn't totally genuine. She pulled out her dressiest dark jeans and hunted for a top. She pulled out a pink sweater, and set it down on the bed as a possibility. She rooted through her clothes purposefully, but froze when she found a royal blue silk and lace dress. The dress she'd worn for her birthday at the hotel with Connor. She slowly pulled it out and ran her hands over it, allowing her mind to drift back to that perfect night.

_"Happy birthday Dawn." _

"_Do I get to make a wish?"_

_"Of course. You have to make it count though, you won't get another chance until you're eighteen."_

She remembered what she had wished for and felt a lump develop in her throat as she struggled to hold back the tears.

_"Well, it seems like you have a starring role in the top moments of my life. Do you feel special now?"_

_"I feel special whenever I'm with you." _

"How did everything go so wrong?" Dawn said, thinking sadly of the time that had passed only three months ago, when everything had been so perfect. She forced herself to snap out of it, shoving the dress to the back of the closet. After a few more minutes she decided on a cream colored sweater and simple black heels to complement her jeans. As she examined her reflection in the mirror she realized that there was something missing. The necklace Connor had given her for Christmas and the bracelet he had surprised her with for her birthday, both of them now stuffed away in the back of a drawer. Forcing her mind off of that issue, she rummaged in her old jewelry until she found a simple strand of pearls. She fastened it around her neck and brushed her hair out loose. A little makeup and she was done. She regarded herself a final time before going out to the living room.

Buffy was sitting on the couch scanning the newspaper, Faith was sitting at the kitchen counter devouring a bowl of cereal. They both looked up when Dawn emerged. "You look nice today," Buffy said with an encouraging smile. Dawn forced a smile in response.

"You want something to eat?" Faith chipped in.

Dawn shook her head quickly. "I can't." She was much too nervous to eat.

Buffy shifted into protective big sister mode. "Dawnie, you don't have to do this today."

"Yes I do. I've already missed two days of school, I can't miss any more," she said firmly. "I may as well just get this over with."

Buffy nodded quietly. "Do you want me to walk you over?"

"No. I'm fine," Dawn said, forcing another little smile for her sister's benefit.

"If you want to come home, or if you need anything, please call me," Buffy begged, wrapping her in a tight hug. Her little sister nodded in response. When they pulled back Dawn gathered her bag and headed for the door.

"Bye Faith," she said, acknowledging the other slayer.

"Show her who's boss," Faith said seriously, a gleam in her eye. Somehow, this was just what Dawn needed to hear, and her first genuine smile in a while lit up her face. She slowly let herself out of the apartment and headed off to her potential doom and humiliation.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Buffy said nervously once her sister was gone.

Faith nodded, unconcerned. "She'll be fine. She's tougher than you give her credit for, B. She can handle it."

> > > > >

When Dawn reached the main lobby of the school, Amelia was there waiting for her like they had agreed upon. The two fast friends wordlessly squeezed hands. "How are you?" Amelia said quietly.

Dawn shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly couldn't tell you."

Amelia smiled encouragingly. "Let's just go get this over with." They headed off down the hall to their homeroom. Dawn had taken her time walking to school, so most people were already in class by now, leaving the hallways fairly empty. She met Amelia's eyes one final time outside the classroom. She checked her posture, smoothed her hair, and put her chin up before she strode purposefully into the room, trying to ignore the somersaults her stomach was doing. As soon as she entered she heard the conversation stop. Everyone stared at her as if she were on display. Her eyes found Kerri, who was staring at her with a triumphant smirk that made her skin crawl. She gave her hair a toss and stared at her new rival coolly before swiftly taking her seat. Amelia did the same beside her. Dawn made a show of pulling out one of her textbooks and leaned over towards Amelia, about to casually ask a question about some of the homework her friend had brought her. The words were barely out of her mouth when Kerri Tyman positioned herself inches in front of Dawn's desk, her arms crossed, the same smirk still on her lips.

"So you finally decided to show your face, Summers," Kerri said airily. "I started to think maybe you left town."

"And why would I do that? Rome is just so charming, and the people are so welcoming," Dawn replied sarcastically, slightly unprepared for this direct attack.

"So he finally ditched you. I knew the boy would come to his senses sooner or later. Any day now he'll probably show up at my door," she said happily.

"I wouldn't bet on it. And just to set the record straight, _I_ broke up with _him_. And it had absolutely nothing to do with you," Dawn said coolly, trying to make the blunt lie seem as truthful as possible.

At that Kerri tossed her head back and emitted a girly, high-pitched laugh. "Sure, sweetie. Fact is, he's much better off without you. A boy like that shouldn't be tied down at such a young age."

"Yeah, well a girl like you shouldn't be such a slut at such a young age," Dawn said sweetly, tilting her head to the side. She heard Amelia suck in a stunned breath next to her, and an equally surprised rumble went through the dead quiet classroom. She could tell that she'd hit Kerri where it hurts from the stung look on her face. "What's the problem, Kerri? Does the truth hurt?"

"You little brat," she hissed. "You don't know who you're messing with."

"Actually, I do. You can go anywhere in the world and there will be girls like you, Kerri. I've seen it before. Actually, I take that back," Dawn continued with growing confidence. "You're a step above most. Care to tell your friends how you really ended up in Italy, or should I?" A stunned look came over the other girl's face at Dawn's remark as she realized that she knew. Kerri seemed to be speechless with shock. Dawn continued to look her right in the eye, her expression challenging Kerri to insult her again. After a long, tense moment during which you could have heard a pin drop, Kerri finally spoke.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said firmly, her face flushed. She struggled to find her next words. "Just watch it." She turned on her heel and walked back to her seat, her confidence visibly down a notch although she tried her best to hide it.

Dawn wanted nothing more than to jump for joy at her successful victory, but she managed to contain herself. As she went back to asking Amelia about the homework, their eyes met, and Dawn grinned at her. Amelia just stared back in awe.

Miss Valenti came into the room shortly after to start class. The period passed without event, and when the bell rang Kerri was one of the first to leave the room. Dawn got up slowly without making a scene and strode out of the room, feeling better about herself than she had in days. Amelia followed her out, her mouth still slightly agape. Once they were a ways down the hall, Amelia make an odd, half-squeal, half-gasp noise. "You are so my hero," she said excitedly. "That was just...amazing!"

Dawn couldn't help but grin. "I don't even know where that came from. My stomach was doing backflips at the very thought of facing her, and then she comes up to me, and it was like something in me just snapped."

"Well I don't think she's going to be bothering you again," Amelia said confidently. "Now that she knows you know her deep dark secret."

Dawn sighed. "I may have won today, but I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of her. Girls like that don't give up so easily."

"Well you at least knocked her down a few pegs. After the way she's been talking the past couple days, you made her look like a real idiot," Amelia said proudly.

Dawn had to smile at that. "Well I'm glad that I'm not as much of an easy mark as she thought I was." As she walked through the hall she noticed that the queasiness of the morning had evaporated, and she felt strangely self-confident. _You know what they say. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_, she thought sadly. _I guess its true._

> > > > >

That night Dawn sat on the couch in front of the tv, finishing up her homework. The rest of the day had been fairly uneventful. The only other time she'd seen Kerri had been at lunch, and the other girl had barely made eye contact. When she had come home and coolly told Faith and Buffy about the exchange she'd had with Kerri in homeroom, they had at first been a little shocked. Well, Buffy had been at least, especially about how Dawn had pretty much called Kerri a slut to her face. But Buffy had eventually told her that she was proud of how she'd handled it, and how she usually wouldn't condone calling someone a slut, but these were special circumstances. Faith had just grinned and said something about how she knew Kerri would be sorry she ever messed with a Summers.

Now Buffy was at work, and Faith had gone out somewhere, so Dawn was sitting at home. For once she was enjoying the peace and quiet, after all the stress of the day. Suddenly the phone rang, breaking her calm and causing her to groan a little. She trudged over to pick it up. "Hello?" she said, trying to sound as pleasant as possible. There was silence on the other end. "Hello, is anyone there?" Still nothing. A shiver went down her spine as she gripped the phone. It was him. She didn't know how she knew, she just did. She thought she heard him take a breath. She clutched the phone in silence, unsure of what to do. Her dilemma was solved for her when she heard a soft click, followed by the dial tone. He'd hung up. She held the phone to her ear for a few more seconds before quickly slamming it down. She gripped the counter to steady herself as her mind reeled.

Why had he called? Why hadn't he said anything? A thousand emotions seemed to go through her head as she contemplated those two questions. She was surprised to identify disappointment as one of them. For a brief second she even seriously thought about picking up the phone and calling him at James's place...Gina had told Buffy, who had told Faith, who had mentioned to Dawn that Connor was staying there. Then she quickly realized that the thought was silly. "You threw him out Dawn, remember? Why on earth would you want to talk to him?" she said meekly. Finally she groaned loudly and sank down to the floor. She hated feeling like this. Just when she would _almost_ stop thinking about him, something like this would happen and bring it all crashing back.

> > > > >

"Dammit," Connor muttered to himself. His hand was still clutching the phone receiver as he flopped back on James's bed, mad at himself. After sitting here for days, nearly going crazy from loneliness and guilt, he had finally picked up the phone and called her. But when he'd heard her voice, he hadn't been able to bring himself to say anything. _What is there to say? I'm sorry? I miss you?_ Sure, both were true, but he knew that no words could fix the damage he had done. He was lying there feeling mad at himself when James walked in the door. He set his schoolbooks down on the desk and removed his coat, studying Connor.

"No offense man, but you look horrible," he admitted.

Connor sighed, pulling himself to a sitting position and returning the phone to its proper place. "I called her. I'm not sure why, I guess I just couldn't take it anymore. Then when she picked up, I...I choked. I'm such an idiot."

"You called Dawn?" James asked. "Man, I don't mean to be harsh, but what has it been? Like, three days?"

"Four," he said miserably.

"Well that's not long enough. You've gotta give it at least a week. Girls are weird, they need time to sulk and be mad at you before they can think about reconciling," James said wisely.

"James, I'm going crazy. For four days I've been cooped up in this room, with nothing to do except go to work, which I hate more and more when I think of how I wouldn't be _in_ this mess without that stupid job, or sit here and think about what an ass I am," Connor said angrily.

"You must really miss her," James said.

"More than I ever thought I could miss anything," he admitted. "What do I do? I don't have anything to live for anymore, anything to do with myself."

"Don't think like that. Like I said, you've just gotta give it time. Chances are, Dawn will come around eventually. For all you know, she's probably feeling the same way right now. But please, give it at least a week before you call her. She probably just wants her space right now."

"You're right," Connor said grudgingly. "I'll call her on Friday."

"Good. And you've got..." James looked at his watch. "Four whole days to figure out what to say to her. You're gonna be fine."

Connor sighed. "Whatever you say."

> > > > >

The rest of the week went by without much event. Dawn continued to go through the motions of life, ignoring the emptiness she still felt inside. She got up, went to school, came home, did her homework. She tried to keep herself busy, because every time she had a spare moment she would find herself staring at the phone, remembering what had happened. She helped Buffy with shopping and cleaning, and even attempted to cook dinner one night. She must have been doing a good job at pretending nothing was wrong, because Buffy stopped asking her if she was okay, and would just smile at her proudly instead.

Amelia hadn't spoken to Dawn since their confrontation. She had barely even looked her way. But every once in a while, Dawn would be chatting with Amelia in the cafeteria and feel an odd sensation in the back of her head, only to turn around and find Kerri quickly looking away and whispering to her friends. She tried to put it out of her mind, and instead put all her energy into her schoolwork and her budding friendship with Amelia. On Thursday they didn't have much homework, so they hit the main streets and did some window shopping. Dawn invited Gina along too, and the three of them had such a good time that Dawn almost went a whole afternoon without even thinking about Connor. She found that she wasn't looking forward to the weekend, because all it meant was having more time on her hands.

It was Friday night, and Dawn was sitting in the living room, trying hard to focus on the tv program she was watching. She had already completed all of her homework for the weekend, and was trying to keep her mind off the inevitable sad thoughts as long as possible. A knock on the door startled her, and she went to answer it quickly. To her surprise, it was Amelia and Gina, both of them dressed as if for a party. "Get dressed. We're taking you out," Gina demanded, entering the apartment with Amelia at her heels.

Dawn raised an eyebrow at them. "Oh, now you two are ganging up on me?"

"Come on Dawn, it will be fun. We can hit the clubs, get your mind off everything for a while. Please?" Amelia begged. She looked the most grown-up Dawn had ever seen her, wearing a pretty blue top that brought out her eyes, which weren't hidden behind her usual glasses. Her blonde hair was in waves around her shoulders, and Dawn felt bad that she had never before noticed what a beauty the girl truly was.

"I don't know," Dawn said reluctantly. She wasn't sure if she was ready to hit the social scene just yet.

"I am not taking no for answer! We are taking you out, girl," Gina said, in her thick Italian accent that Dawn had come to love. They both stared at Dawn pleadingly until she finally gave in.

"Okay, okay. I'll go out for a little while," Dawn said. "You guys have to help me get ready though." Within ten seconds Gina was at Dawn's closet, pulling out items of clothing one by one, examining them, and either placing them on the bed as a 'maybe' or shoving them back into the closet. Amelia sat Dawn down on the bed and ran a brush through her hair. "Wow, you guys are spoiling me," she said with a smile.

"You deserve it," Amelia said honestly. She quickly located Dawn's curling iron and began wrapping large pieces of hair around it.

"Wear this," Gina said handing Dawn a pale yellow top with a plunging neckline that Buffy had always hated. She thrust a pair of black pants at her as well.

Dawn stared at the top questioningly. "I don't know, this is a little..."

"Sexy?" Amelia suggested. "What's wrong with that?" Dawn couldn't find a good answer, so as soon as Amelia was finished with her hair she slipped into the clothes, adding a pair of yellow heels to complete the outfit. She was just writing a note for Buffy when Faith entered the apartment. She looked Dawn up and down in admiration.

"Lookin' good, D," she said approvingly. "Where you headed?"

"Out," Dawn said. "Faith, this is Amelia, my friend from school. Amelia, Faith. And you already met Gina." Faith had joined Buffy and Gina on patrol a few times already. Amelia politely stuck out her hand for Faith to shake, and she took it.

"Well, take good care of her. This girl needs to loosen up a bit," Faith said, winking at Dawn. She felt herself blush as the three of them quickly hurried out of the apartment. On their way down the stairs to the street, Amelia spoke up.

"So how exactly does your sister know Faith again?" she asked curiously.

Dawn and Gina exchanged a quick glance. "Just an old friend from Sunnydale," Dawn said quickly. "So, what club are we going to?"

> > > > >

An hour later Dawn was sipping a soda in the dimly lit club with her two friends, feeling more than a little out of place. This was a different club than she had come to last week, Gina had known better than to take her back there. This one seemed a little smaller, but the deejay was good, and a lot of the people there looked older. The three of them had danced for a little while before retreating to the bar area, where they were sitting calmly as they watched the scene. Gina came over to where Dawn and Amelia were standing, balancing three foamy glasses. She passed them out. "I think you have enough soda. Remember, this is Italy, you drink here!" She took an enthusiastic sip of her own beer as Dawn and Amelia exchanged tentative glances. Finally, Dawn shrugged.

"Why not live vicariously for a night?" Dawn said with a sigh before taking a long swig of her drink. Amelia followed suit with a much more delicate sip. Their beers were almost gone when Dawn noticed a few older-looking Italian guys coming their way. There were three of them, a lanky one with black hair, a muscular one with brown curls, and a shorter, quiet looking one with a piercing gaze. Dawn was just about to say something when all of a sudden they were standing right in front of them, staring at the three girls appraisingly.

"Ciao le belle signore. Lei amerebbe per ballare con noi?" Mr. Black Hair said in a deep voice. Dawn noticed that the quiet looking one was staring right at her, and she blushed slightly as she directed her gaze to the floor.

"Bene sono portato. Ma non credo che queste signore siano," Gina replied, giving Dawn and Amelia a pointed glance. Dawn's eyes widened as she gave her friend a death glare over implying that she would actually dance with one of these guys. Gina tilted her head sadly, giving Dawn a _come on_ kind of look. Dawn just shook her head as subtly as possible. Gina said a few more words in Italian, and soon Mr. Brown Curls was heading out to the dance floor with a flustered looking Amelia. Gina exchanged a few more words with Mr. Black Hair, seemingly agreeing to dance with them in a group, but not in a romantic way. He nodded in agreement, and Gina started to follow him out to the dance floor, looking at Dawn pleadingly. Dawn noticed that the quiet one was still looking at her. Suddenly she felt a little overwhelmed, dizzy and claustraphobic, and she felt the strong need to just get away. She felt the tears starting to well up in her eyes as she quickly started towards the restroom, which she had made note of the location of on the way in.

As she walked by she muttered "excuse me", vaguely hearing Gina calling after her. She kept going, her head down. She worked through the crowd until she finally burst into the restroom, which was thankfully fairly empty. She gripped the counter of the sink, closing her eyes and dropping her head. She stayed like that for a second, trying to regain her composure. After a long minute she tossed her hair back, giving her temples a quick massage. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. _Dammit. I thought I was doing better, I thought I had it together...then the first guy looks at me sideways and I lose it_. She silently cursed Gina for getting her into that situation. How could she possibly have thought that she was ready to dance with some other guy only a week after breaking up with the love of her life? _She didn't mean it. She thinks its good for me, she doesn't realize how much it still hurts_. She thought wryly that maybe she hadn't even realized herself.

She took a few deep breaths. She noticed a few girls come into the bathroom, chatting to one another happily. She saw them glance in her direction with looks of sympathy and then keep going. She just inhaled forcefully. _Look what you've done to me_.

When she felt like she had pulled herself together, she splashed a little water on her face, and tossed her hair. _Time to face the world again._ She slowly made her way out of the bathroom. She walked back to where her friends had been standing, and scanned the dance floor until she spotted Gina and Amelia having fun with the three boys. She quickly ducked away, not wanting them to see her. She sat down at the closest empty seat at the bar.

"Possono prenderla qualcosa?" the bartender asked, startling her a little.

Dawn blinked. "Sicuro, porterb una birra," she said, feeling a little rebellious. She wasn't even sure how much she had liked the taste of the first one, but she did like the slight buzz she had gotten from it. A minute later the bartender sat one down in front of her, and she slowly took a long sip. She sat there lost in her own thoughts for a while until a voice next to her startled her.

"Are you okay?"

She spun in surprised and was shocked to see the quiet boy from before sitting next to her. "You speak English," she said quietly, staring down into her drink.

"I'm from London," he said in a British accent. He paused. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you before, I was only looking at you because I think you're beautiful."

She blushed and smiled a little as she looked up at him tentatively. "It's okay. I'm flattered, really, its just...I'm kind of going through a bad breakup."

He nodded sympathetically. "Well whoever he is, he doesn't know how lucky he was."

There was a semi-awkward pause. Finally he stuck out his hand. "I'm Aidan."

"Dawn," she said with a small smile, taking his hand. They shook briefly before he retracted his hand, and she returned hers to her beer glass.

"So let me guess, your friends want you to get out more, have fun, but you're not ready to move on," he said conversationally.

"Exactly," she said with a sigh. "They mean well, I just don't think they understand." She gestured to where Gina and Amelia were still dancing with the two guys. "You should go, have fun with them. No need for there to be two of us sulking."

"Maybe I'd rather sit with you," he said. "This whole club thing was never really my scene." He paused. "Did you want to go for a walk, get some air?"

She took a deep breath before looking him in the eye. "I'm sorry but I...I can't. It's not you, you seem like a really great guy, I just...can't."

He nodded, standing up. "It's okay. I'm sorry if I bothered you."

"No, you really didn't. Its not your fault. I shouldn't have even come," Dawn realized. She stood up too, abandoning her beer.

"Lei P fatto?" the bartender said pointedly, staring at her. Dawn started to reach for her money but Aidan quickly stepped in, handing the bartender a folded bill.

"You didn't have to do that," Dawn said when they were alone again.

"It was the least I could do." He paused. "I hope you don't let this guy get you down too much. You're too young and too beautiful to be this unhappy." He grabbed a napkin from the bar and scribbled something down on it with a pen. He folded it over and handed it to her. "My number. In case you ever change your mind."

She accepted it. "Thanks. Good night Aidan."

"Good night Dawn." After a moment he left. Dawn stood there for a second holding the napkin and thinking about what he had said when suddenly her friends reappeared beside her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Amelia asked, touching her arm with concern.

She nodded a little too quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"I see you talk to Aidan," Gina said with a raised eyebrow.

Dawn forced a smile. "Yeah. He seems like a really nice guy. I'm just not..." her voice trailed off. "Do you guys think we can get out of here? I'm a little tired, its been a long week."

"Sure," Amelia quickly agreed. She could tell that something was wrong. Gina nodded in agreement, her happy expression quickly turning to a concerned frown when she noticed the look on Dawn's face. The three girls quickly grabbed their coats and headed for the door.

> > > > >

"For the last time, I'm going to be fine. I just think maybe the whole club, social scene thing was a little too much too soon," Dawn said simply.

Amelia scrutinized her one last time. "I hate leaving you alone."

"It's okay, it's late, go home. Buffy and Faith will be back soon," Dawn insisted. When they had come back to the apartment and Dawn spotted the note in plain sight saying that her sister and their guest were out on patrol, she had barely snatched it up in time to prevent Amelia from seeing it. She had to remember to remind her sister that not all of her friends knew every detail about their lives. She gave each of her friends a quick hug. "Good night."

"Buono di notte bella," Gina muttered. "I'm sorry if I upset you with Aidan. I just try to help."

Dawn smiled warmly at her. "I know. Good night." She watched as her two friends retreated down the hall. When they were gone she closed herself into the apartment and glanced at the clock. It was approaching midnight. She sat down on a stool in the kitchen and pulled off her high heels. _What a disaster_, she thought to herself._ Is this how my life is going to be?_ _I won't even be able to go out with my friends without have a meltdown if a guy as much as looks at me?_ She slunk back in her stool, a miserable expression on her face. She could vaguely feel the effects of the two beers she had consumed, but it wasn't nearly enough to make her feel tipsy, and unfortunately it wasn't enough to make her forget about her problems either. She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there when the phone rang. "Who'd be calling at this hour," she wondered, figuring it had to be Amelia or Gina wanting to make sure she was okay for the thousandth time, or Buffy checking to see if she was home yet. "Hello?" she said tiredly into the receiver. Silence. "Hello?" she repeated, more impatiently.

"Um, hi Dawn. It's me."

She had to grip onto the counter to prevent herself from sliding right off her stool. "C-Connor?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry to bother you so late, I heard you were going out tonight and I figured you'd be up." His voice sounded different than usual, strained, and quiet.

"Yeah, I just got back," Dawn said, her heart beating loudly. She wasn't sure exactly what she was feeling, but she knew that some part of her was happy to hear his voice. But she also felt the anger, pain and betrayal rising to the surface again.

"Okay. I don't really know how to say this. And you're probably just going to hang up on me. But I miss you, Dawn. I miss you more than I ever thought I could miss anything. And I know I screwed up, and you were right in what you did. But I can't just give up on us forever. I can't."

She took a jagged breath. "Connor..."

"So I was just wondering if you would think about meeting me. Just to talk. It can be completely on your terms, and I understand if you don't want to ever see me again. It would kill me, but I'd understand."

She felt tears coming to her eyes. For a moment she had no idea what to say. "I'll meet you," she heard herself say hoarsely, without remembering deciding to say it. She tried to compose herself. "Um, how about tomorrow. You know the pizza place by the apartment, the one we...the one by the apartment?"

"Yes," he said. She could hear the relief and happiness in his voice. "What time?"

"Whenever," she said quickly, feeling a little light-headed.

"How about six thirty?" he suggested.

"Sounds...fine," she choked out. There was a long pause. "I guess I'll see you then."

"Yes. And Dawn- thank you. For agreeing to meet me."

"Sure. Good night Connor."

"Good night Dawn." They both stayed on the line after they had said their final goodbyes, until Dawn finally worked up the courage to hang up the phone. As if in a trance, she walked the short distance to her bedroom, pulled off her clothes, and slipped into her pajamas. She crawled into bed and nestled under the covers before she allowed herself to think about what had just happened. She had a lot of feelings about seeing Connor again. Of course there was a part of her that had missed him. But there was another part that feared the emotions seeing him again would bring up. She was glad she had been coherent enough to arrange a meeting somewhere besides the apartment. Far too many memories here. She stayed awake for a long time before she finally drifted off to sleep.

> > > > >

TBC...


	16. Chapter 16: Second Chances

A/N: I apologize again for the delay in updating...I just moved, so things have been a little crazy. I hope to be able to update more regularly soon. Thanks so much for all of the reviews, I always love hearing what everyone thinks. I can see that not everyone completely agrees with the Dawn/Connor breakup...hopefully this chapter will please almost everyone :) Enjoy, and as always, please review!

> > > > >

Chapter 16: Second Chances

Dawn didn't sleep very well that night. A thousand thoughts kept running through her mind, and she felt as if a war was raging inside of her. Her mind was wondering why she had agreed to meet him after he had broken her heart. Maybe she deserved better. But her heart was counting the seconds until six thirty. She admitted that she missed him. She really did. She missed the way he would stroke her hair and hold her close, the way he would kiss her. She missed the way he would look into her eyes and make her feel as if she were the only girl in the world. And she missed the way her heart would feel when he told her that he loved her and she knew he meant every word.

Besides the love and the feeling of contentment, Dawn also had to admit that there were much more shallow things she missed. She missed making love with him, and she was beginning to feel the withdrawal in the deepest parts of her body. True, she had been a virgin until only a few months before, but since that blissful night before the final battle in Sunnydale they had made a habit of making love, well, a lot, considering the circumstances. And now she was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction that she knew only he could truly fix.

_Stop it_, she scolded herself. _After everything that happened, the sex is not a good enough reason to take him back. No matter how good it was._ No, she knew this was about trust. Her faith in him had been shattered, and that needed to be rebuilt before they could ever get back to where they had been. When it was all said and done their breakup hadn't been about Kerri, it hadn't been about a stupid kiss. It had been about secrets and betrayal.

She didn't really know what to expect when she met him tonight. Without speaking the exact words, he had made it clear on the phone that he wanted to see her to try and win her back. And she had jumped at the opportunity much quicker than she would have thought. Maybe she hadn't realized until that moment just how much she had truly missed him. And she could hear without question in his voice that he missed her, too.

As she slowly rose from bed after lying awake for over an hour, she thought of how long it had taken them to get to where they had been. It had been ten months ago that they had first met, during her trip to Los Angeles that had turned out to be everything but what she had expected. During that time they had fallen in love, he had moved to Sunnydale to be with her, they had made love, they had fought side by side, and they had moved again. All of that had been near-destroyed, and she knew it wouldn't be easy getting that back.

_But if we could get through this...that would mean we could survive just about anything._

She dismissed the thought, and vowed to herself to let Connor do most of the talking when they met. All she could do was listen to what he had to say, and decide whether or not to accept him back into her life.

Back into her heart.

She slowly walked out into the living room, where she saw Buffy and Faith sitting at the counter, drinking coffee and perusing the morning paper. They both looked up when they saw her. "Dawnie! Hey. Did you have fun last night?"

It took her a minute to realize what her sister meant. Being at that club with Gina and Amelia seemed like centuries ago now. "Oh, yeah. It was nice." She moved to the cabinet and removed a box of cereal and a bowl, losing herself in the mindless ritual.

"Well, I am totally free today. No work, no nothing. So I was hoping we could have a girl's day. Maybe go into the city, hit some shops, eat out. Maybe even catch a movie later. What do you say?" her sister said enthusiastically.

Dawn froze. "Um, yeah, that sounds good. But unfortunately I'm not free all day. I'm meeting Amelia for dinner tonight."

Looking back on it later, Dawn wasn't exactly sure why she lied. The words were out of her mouth before she could even think. For some reason her gut had told her that it was best if she kept her meeting with Connor just between the two of them. She knew that Buffy was very mad at Connor for what he had done, and she probably wouldn't approve of her attempting reconciliation, if that was even what it was. And the things she was feeling were just too complex and confusing for her to explain. But even though she had good reasons for concealing the truth, she still felt extremely guilty when she saw the disappointed expression on her sister's face.

"Oh, okay. Do you think you could reschedule? I really don't get many days off, and I was really hoping we could spend today together. Us, and Faith, of course, if she wants to come," Buffy added.

"Nah, it's okay. You guys do your girly thing, I can amuse myself," Faith said. Dawn noticed that the brunette slayer was watching her intently, and she felt herself blush a little.

"I'm sorry Buffy, but I really can't cancel. Amelia and I made these plans a long time ago, and she's been such a great friend, I really don't want to disappoint her." Once the lie was out, it seemed to grow on its own. "But I'll tell you what. We can go shopping, maybe grab some lunch, I just need to be back here before dinner time."

Buffy appeared to be satisfied with that. "Okay, sounds good." She smiled warmly at her, and Dawn smiled back, feeling very guilty for lying. _It's for the best. She'd only try to stop me from going_. She quickly poured her cereal, taking a second to glance up at Faith, relieved to see that she seemed focused on her newspaper. She finished her breakfast quickly, then excused herself to go get ready.

Half an hour later, Buffy and Dawn were heading out the door. Halfway down the stairs Dawn realized she had forgotten her wallet, so she sent her sister ahead while she ran up to get it. Faith answered the door. "I just need to grab my wallet," Dawn explained, hurrying into her bedroom to grab it. After fetching it, she emerged from her bedroom, pausing a moment to stick it into her purse.

"You're not meeting Amelia tonight, are you?" Faith said suddenly.

Dawn nearly dropped her purse in surprise. Her lips parted slightly as she started to deny the claim, but she decided against it. "How did you know?" she asked, guilt turning her cheeks pink.

"You're a sucky liar," Faith said with a smirk.

Dawn shook her head. The two women's eyes met for a minute. "You're not going to tell Buffy, are you?"

"Nah. Your business is your business. And I know you have your reasons." Dawn was surprised to see Faith start to blush a little, as the slayer looked down at the floor. "You're lucky you have a second chance." Their eyes met again as she looked up, and yet again a wave of deep understanding seemed to pass between them.

Dawn smiled sadly at Faith, unsure of what to say. After a long moment she slowly moved out the door.

On her way down to the street to meet Buffy, she thought of how ironic it was that of all people, Faith understood her better than anyone right now.

> > > > >

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend more time with you recently," Buffy said. They were sitting in a small outdoor café, a few shopping bags at their feet as they sipped cappuccinos and enjoyed the warm fall day.

"It's okay. I know you're busy. But this is nice. We should try to do this more often," Dawn said sincerely. The morning had been nice. She and Buffy had each gotten some new clothes, and it had been genuinely nice to spend time with her sister. She was even pretty sure there had been a minute or two where she had thought of something other than her meeting with Connor tonight.

"We should," Buffy said. She smiled and looked around at the semi-busy street, filled with Saturday shoppers. "I like it here. In Rome. It took me a while to adjust, but now I think I like it."

"I do too," Dawn agreed. "There's something charming about it." She took another sip of her drink.

Buffy's face suddenly grew serious. "How are you, Dawnie? Really."

_Let's see, I broke up with the love of my life a week ago after he cheated on me, I went back to school and stared down Kerri, I went out last night and got semi-drunk and almost picked up by a guy in a bar, and tonight I'm sneaking off to secretly meet my ex for some reason that I don't even completely understand._ "I'm dealing," she said, not bothering to elaborate.

"I know how you feel," Buffy said sympathetically. She paused a second, staring into her cappuccino. "You know I've been there. When Angel and I...I didn't think I was ever going to be happy again. But eventually I moved on. We both did."

"But you still love him," Dawn stated carefully.

Sadness crossed Buffy's eyes. "Yes. I think a part of me will always love him. But the point is, for a while it will seem like your world is over. But it's not."

"But you haven't been that happy since you were with Angel," Dawn blurted out. "I mean, sure, you tried to move on with Riley, but you didn't really love him. At least not the way you loved Angel. And then there was Spike and I believe that you loved him in your own way, but it still wasn't the same." She felt her voice rising a little as she continued on. "So no, I don't think that's true. I don't think you can ever really move on from losing your first love."

Buffy looked stung as she regarded Dawn as if she were seeing her for the first time. "Dawnie..."

Dawn closed her eyes for a second and tried to calm the pounding of her heart. "I'm sorry. That was rude. I'm just..."

She was surprised when her sister reached across the table to touch her hand. "I know. We don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to."

Dawn nodded in relief. "I think I'd like that." Buffy slowly retracted her hand and there was a moment of awkward silence as the two sisters sat there.

"Well what do you say we hit some more shops?" Buffy said, rising from her chair. Dawn forced a smile and picked up her bags as Buffy left the tip on the table, and then the two of them continued down the street, a new kind of tension now present.

> > > > >

Dawn made a frustrated noise as she tossed the final components of her wardrobe onto the reject pile on the bed. She ran her hands through her hair. She had no idea why simply picking an outfit to wear to the pizza place was causing her so much stress. But somehow, she was finding something wrong with everything she owned...

She stood up and began to go through the pile again, determined to find something suitable. Then she caught a glimpse of the clock out of the corner of her eye. "Crap," she whined. It was already six. Time to make a decision. She quickly pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a fitted blue top. As she looked in the mirror she remembered that Connor had once told her how she had looked beautiful in that top. She instinctively pulled it off again, replacing it with a red t-shirt. She added a simple necklace and slipped on her favorite sandals. "That will have to do," she decided. After playing with her hair for a few precious minutes, she finally just ran a brush through it. She grabbed her purse and headed out of her bedroom.

"Have fun," Buffy called to her from her spot on the couch. Faith was still out.

Dawn glanced at her guiltily, still feeling horrible about her lie. Her little outburst earlier about her sister's love life had only made her feel worse. "Buffy, I'm sorry about before. I was just upset, I shouldn't have said those things about you and Angel and everyone."

Buffy stood up and slowly started to walk over. "Apology accepted." She sighed. "Dawnie, believe me, I know that my history with love has been pretty much a disaster. Maybe I have no right to give you advice."

"But you do," Dawn insisted. "You're my sister. You were only trying to look out for me." She reached her arms out and they hugged. When they pulled back she was surprised to see wetness in Buffy's eyes.

"You're so grown up. Even with everything you're going through, you're still so strong," Buffy said proudly.

_Giving in and meeting Connor after only a week isn't very strong, _she thought to herself. But she forced a smile. "I'd better go," she said quietly.

"Of course. You don't want to keep Amelia waiting." The oldest Summers dabbed at her eyes, feeling a little silly. "Have fun."

"Thanks." Dawn squeezed her hand before turning and exiting the apartment.

The usually short walk to the pizza place seemed to go on forever. She felt as if every step were in slow motion. Dawn felt extremely unprepared for this. She had never even decided what her position on getting back together was. _I'll just have to let him do the talking_, she decided. As she took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the restaurant, Faith's words from earlier played over in her mind.

_"You're lucky you have a second chance."_

Once inside she looked around, her heart pounding in trepidation. At first glance, she didn't see him, and wondered for a horrible second if he had changed his mind. Then her eyes settled on a very familiar head covered with longish brown hair, sitting alone at a booth with his back to her. She stood there for a second, frozen. Finally, she worked up the nerve to go over, and she tried to seem confident as she approached him.

When he saw her appear next to the booth, he felt something triggered inside of him that he hadn't felt all week. It was almost as if he came alive again. "Hi," he managed to say.

She slid into the booth across from him. "Hey."

He couldn't help but stare at her. She looked so beautiful in a perfectly-fitted red t-shirt, her shiny hair hanging around her shoulders. As his eyes continued upward they met with hers, as they looked at each other for the first time since the breakup. "I'm so glad you came," Connor said, unable to mask his relief. Ever since their phone conversation he had flipped between excitement at the meeting and convincing himself that she probably wouldn't even show. _But she's here. That has to mean something_, he told himself.

Connor turned his head and raised a hand, and soon a waiter came over to take their order. Dawn watched as he ordered a cheese pizza and two sodas. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him fumble with the Italian words. She was still smiling when the waiter left and Connor turned his attention back to her. "What's so funny?" he said suspiciously, his heart melting at the sight of her beautiful smile.

"Nothing, just, I see you still haven't quite mastered the native language," she said, half-teasing.

"I guess I'm just not as natural at it as you," he said, pleased that they had settled into an almost normal rapport so quickly. After a second her smile faded, and she looked down at her hands. He got the impression that she was waiting for him to say something. Remnants of a speech he had rehearsed in James's mirror fluttered through his mind, but they slipped away as quickly as they had come. "Dawn...I don't really know where to start."

"Neither do I," she agreed, her voice quieter than usual. She focused on a loose thread on her denim purse as it sat on the table, and she ran her fingers over it, happy to avoid his eyes. The brief friendly moment they had just shared was gone, and the tension she had prepared for had returned.

"I've had a lot of time to think this past week," he began. "I screwed up. And I hate myself for it. Dawn, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you, and I'm sorry for not being honest with you when I should have. You've never given me any reason to not trust you." His words seemed to hit home, as her fingers and eyes fell from her bag and settled once more on his gaze. "I was really stupid, and I deserved this miserable week." He paused. "But I would never be able to forgive myself if things were over between us for good." He gained momentum and confidence as his little speech wore on. "Dawn, what we have is too strong to be killed by one stupid mistake. I love you. My life is nothing without you. I've been learning that the hard way." He tried to notice if his words seemed to be having any effect, but Dawn was unreadable. However, he could tell that she was listening. "Now I understand that I can't just wave a magic wand and have everything be back to the way it was. I know that rebuilding what we had is going to take work, but I am more than willing."

There was a long silence as she attempted to process what had just been said. Finally her lips parted as if to speak, but just then the waiter arrived with their pizza and drinks. Dawn reached out and took a piece of pizza, biting into it even though her stomach was the last thing on her mind right now. Connor put a slice on his plate, but didn't touch it. He was staring at her expectantly. "I think it's your turn to say something now," he said nervously.

She took her time finishing her bite and slowly set the slice on her plate. "If I ask you something, do you promise me you'll answer honestly, even if you know it's not what I want to hear?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

She felt herself blushing a little as she tried to find the words to express the question that had been floating around in her mind all week. "Did you...did you kiss Kerri because I wasn't enough for you? Was I not...satisfying you?" The words sounded even more pathetic once they were out, and she instantly regretted saying them.

"Are you asking me if what happened was your fault?" Connor asked incredulously.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart leaped in surprise when he reached across the table and took her hand. The wave of sensation that coursed through her body at the simplest touch reminded her just what she had been missing.

"No. It was not your fault," he said firmly. "If you want to know, I'll tell you. That day, Kerri was asking me about you, about our relationship. I didn't really know what she was getting at, so I answered her. And I ended up admitting that you were...well, my first. And then she started in with this BS about if I was really going to live my life having only been with one woman." He shook his head at himself. "And you know, maybe part of me actually fell for that. And then the next thing I knew she was kissing me. I guess I just froze a little. But as soon as I realized what she was doing, I pushed her away, and I got out of there as quick as I could."

Dawn blinked slowly. As painful as it was to hear the details, she was glad that they were finally out in the open. "Did you kiss her back?"

"No." He realized he was still holding her hand, and thought about retracting it, but noticed that she was showing no discomfort. So he left it there, enjoying just touching her.

"Oh Connor..." she said quietly. She grasped his hand. "I do believe that what we have is stronger than her." There was no need to specify who she was referring to.

Connor felt like he might burst with happiness. "It is, Dawn. It is."

She slowly retracted her hand, her eyes moving to examine her half-eaten pizza slice. "Say, hypothetically, that I were agree to give this another try. How would it work? Would you expect me to invite you right back into my life, into my be...into the apartment?" she stammered.

He smiled at her. "We could do it however you want. Completely your terms. We could take it as slow as you want."

Dawn nodded. "The pizza's getting cold," she said suddenly. She took another bite, and he finally started to eat his. There was a long minute of silence while they ate. But it was a different silence than before. Some of the tension seemed to have dissipated.

"Buffy doesn't know I was meeting you," she stated. "I'm not sure why I didn't tell her. I just felt like it would be best if I didn't."

He nodded, a little surprised. "I know that I would have to win back her trust, too. She probably hates me even more than you do."

Dawn took another bite, ignoring his last statement. "Faith does know," she said, after she swallowed. "I didn't tell her, but she seems to have me all figured out. It's strange, she seems to understand me better than anyone else right now," she said, laughing a little at the absurdity of the statement.

"I saw her on the street the other day," Connor said. "Is...did something happen with her and Robin?"

"He died," Dawn said quietly. "She doesn't like to talk about it much, but it sounds like they were fighting, she thought he had it under control..."

"And he didn't," Connor finished. He sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. Robin was a good guy."

"He was," Dawn agreed. "Faith's pretty broken up about it. She would never admit it though."

Connor nodded. "So, what did your new best friend Faith think about you meeting me?" he asked lightly.

"She said I'm lucky I have a second chance," she told him. They were quiet for a moment as they both ate some more pizza.

Not much else was said as they finished eating. They both understood that all the important things had been put out into the open, and they both grew increasingly comfortable as the meal wore on. Finally, Connor paid the bill. They looked at each other for a second, neither really wanting to leave, because they knew that it would mean being apart again. Finally Dawn rose from her seat. "Thank you. For dinner," she added lamely.

He stood up. "It was my pleasure. And thank you for hearing me out."

She nodded. The two of them walked through the restaurant and out the door. The sun was just starting to set, and the sky had taken on a beautiful glow. "It's going to be a nice day tomorrow," Dawn commented, gesturing at the shades of pink in the sky.

Watching her standing there, the light of dusk illuminating her features, it took all of Connor's willpower not to reach out and touch her face. "So, are we really going to do this? You're really going to give me another chance?"

Dawn sighed. "Yes. I will. But I want to take things slow, like you said. Connor, regardless of how much we've missed each other, there is still a lot of work to be done before we can get back to where we were."

He nodded, his face solemn. "I know. But at least you're giving me a chance to try and make it up to you." He gazed into her eyes. "So what happens now?"

"Well, if this were really a fresh start, I'd say we go on a date," she suggested.

"We could go see a movie, like we did on our first date," Connor said, fondly remembering that night. "Only, let's skip the horror this time."

She smiled. "Sounds good. How does Monday night sound?"

He groaned inwardly, realizing that Monday meant going 48 more hours without seeing her. But he quickly reminded himself that this was on her terms, and he understood that he couldn't rush her. "Sounds great." He paused. "Are you going to tell Buffy?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "How about I meet you? You're staying with James, right?" He nodded. "I'll be there at seven then."

They stood there on the street, the street lamps slowly turning on around them as the night grew darker. "You don't know how badly I want to kiss you right now," Connor muttered.

Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Part of her ached for him, and screamed for her to let him. _No. Not yet. _She didn't want to let him off that easily. He had caused her a lot of pain, and as she thought of all the tears she had cried over him she briefly wondered what she was even doing here in the first place. _You're following your heart_, a tiny voice in her head reminded her. In the end, her feelings for Connor had won out over the rational voices and the pain.

Also, she knew that if she let him kiss her, neither of them would want to stop.

"Good night, Connor," she said. Against her better judgement she reached out and took his hand for a second, giving it a light squeeze.

He wrapped his fingers around hers. "Good night Dawn."

_Let go._ She hesitantly unraveled her fingers from his, giving him one final look before heading down the street into the brisk night.

As he watched her go, a thousand thoughts rushing through his head, he felt alive for the first time in days. "It's not too late," he said to himself with relief. He kept that thought in his head as he began the long walk back to James's dorm with an extra bounce in his step.

> > > > >

TBC...


	17. Chapter 17: Chain Reactions

A/N: My sincerest apologies for the inexcusable delay. Real life has just been crazy lately. I thank all of you who continue to loyally read and review this fic...your feedback makes it all worth it! I think everyone will enjoy this chapter, I know I certainly enjoyed writing it. The song used is Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls. I was driving home one day and the song came on the radio and I was just instantly taken by how perfect it was for this part of the story. So, I think you've all waited long enough...onto the chapter:)

> > > > >

Chapter 17: Chain Reactions

Sunday seemed to be one of the longest days of Dawn's life. She tried to keep herself busy by watching tv, doing some homework, anything to stop thinking about the previous night and daydreaming about what might possibly happen tomorrow.

How distracted she was not easily hidden, either. Even though the words had never been spoken, Faith seemed to know exactly what was going on, and she would just give Dawn knowing glances every time she would catch her staring into space. Although it was a little annoying, Dawn was incredibly grateful to Faith, not only for understanding, but for keeping quiet with Buffy. One thing she was certain of was that her sister would not easily understand why Dawn was giving Connor a second chance so soon, after the heartbreak she had been through the past week and a half. But then again, Buffy was her big sister, and she was bound to be a little overprotective. But Dawn was simply not ready to defend her reasons for agreeing to see Connor again. After all, she wasn't even sure she understood them herself. For that reason, she didn't tell her sister. _I'll tell her when the time is right,_ she told herself. _I have to ease her back into the idea of Connor and I giving things another try._ She felt guilty about keeping things such a secret, and a little voice in the back of her mind repeatedly told her how she would probably regret it later. But her gut told her that it was best for everyone if she kept this quiet for now.

About a dozen times throughout the day, she wondered why she had scheduled the date for Monday rather than tonight. _I didn't want to make things too easy. He needs to re-earn my trust_, Dawn reminded herself. Her more primal instincts, however, were scolding her for lengthening the window of time before she would see him again.

She dreamed up what seemed like dozens of scenarios of how their date could possibly go. Some were awkward, with tension, and invisible boundaries between the two of them. Some were filled with passion and desire. A couple involved a friendly atmosphere more like that of two close pals than former lovers. And more than one definitely involved the touching of bodies.

Despite the different scripts she wrote in her head, she wasn't sure exactly how she wanted things to go. She knew that at least part of the reason Connor had suggested seeing a movie was because it would kind of symbolize starting over, since that was what they had done on their first date. She thought back to that night: their hands touching while reaching for the popcorn, many sweet kisses, him finally growing tired of her squeezing his hand during the scary parts and putting his arm around her. And of course, at the end of the night, when she had casually referred to him as her boyfriend, and he had grinned at her and squeezed her hand. It was hard to believe thinking back that she had only known him for a little more than three days at the time. Their first kiss had been only the night before, first on the ground in that alley after fighting the vampires, and then again later in the garden of the Hyperion Hotel. Only 24 hours later they had comfortably moved right into kissing over popcorn and snuggling. _It was like a part of me had known him my whole life,_ she thought of that first magical week.

She forced herself to snap out of the fond memory. _You're giving yourself a headache. Just stop thinking about him._ _Just let things happen naturally tomorrow. _She repeated that to herself throughout the rest of the day, a kind of silent mantra to calm her spinning mind.

> > > > >

As soon as Dawn entered homeroom on Monday, she smiled upon seeing Amelia sitting in her usual seat, waving her over. "Good morning," her friend said in greeting as she sat down next to her.

"You won't believe what's happened," Dawn said immediately, before she even unpacked her books. "So much has been going on since Friday night."

"What is it?" Amelia said, notably curious now.

Dawn's eyes darted quickly to the back of the room. Kerri wasn't here yet, but some of her friends were. She made sure to lower her voice before she continued. "Right after you brought me home on Friday, Connor called."

"He did," Amelia said, sounding officially not-surprised.

"He did. He said how much he missed me, and that he wanted to meet with me," Dawn continued in a hushed tone.

"So, did you?" Amelia asked, looking excited now.

Dawn nodded. "Last night we met for pizza." She paused.

"Well? What happened?" Amelia asked impatiently.

"Well, it was a little awkward. Which I expected. Amelia, he was actually really sweet," Dawn admitted. "He apologized. A lot. And he said that he was willing to work at rebuilding what we had."

Amelia's face melted into a soft smile. "Wow. That's so romantic."

Dawn continued on. "And we talked really honestly with each other. It actually went a lot better than I expected it to."

"And then what happened?" the blonde pressed.

"Well, we are going on a date tonight, to the movies," Dawn said, her expression nervous.

"How do you feel about all of this?" Amelia asked quietly.

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Honestly? I couldn't tell you. I have so many thoughts right now...it's just about driving me crazy."

"What does your sister think?"

Dawn winced. "She doesn't know."

Amelia gave her friend a disapproving glance. "Oh, Dawn..."

"I know, I know. I just know that she won't approve. She would only discourage me from wanting to give things another try."

"Well, just make sure you know what you're doing. And whatever you do, don't keep this a secret for too long. The last thing you need is all of this blowing up in your face," Amelia warned her. Before Dawn could reply, she leaned in a little closer. "You just said that you _want_ to give things another try."

Dawn thought about that for a moment. "I do. I mean, I wasn't sure going in yesterday that I wanted to. But then Connor seemed to say all of the right things." She realized how that sounded and quickly corrected herself. "But, I mean, he _meant_ them. I could tell he really, really meant them. And I know that things aren't going to be like they used to be, not at first. But I think we're both willing to work for it."

Amelia reached over and squeezed her friend's hand. "I'm happy for you, Dawn. I mean, if you guys can get past this and still come out strong...then it will only mean that your love is stronger than you thought."

Dawn smiled a little at that. "I know."

At that moment, Miss Valenti walked into the room, and the class immediately hushed and began to shuffle books around in preparation of doing work. Dawn tried her best to focus on the lecture, even though more pressing matters were fighting for attention in her mind. _Just have to make it through a few more hours._

> > > > >

"There," Dawn muttered to herself as she finished applying her mascara. She put the cap back on the bottle and stepped back to examine herself in the mirror. She hadn't experienced as much of a problem choosing an outfit tonight as she had on Saturday. Wearing jeans and a black tank top under a fitted white jacket, she felt that she looked casual, yet classy, but not like she was trying too hard. She had opted to pull her hair into a high ponytail for a change, and she thought it almost made her look sophisticated. The former Key glanced at the clock. 6:40. She had decided to take a cab to James's dorm instead of walking, so she still had time. She smoothed her hair one last time before grabbing her bag and switching off her bedroom light. Buffy was working late tonight, probably wouldn't be home until midnight. Dawn was thankful for that, because she hadn't even had to make up a lie about where she was going. She still felt a little pang of guilt every time she spoke to her sister, knowing that she was keeping this from her. But she knew that she needed to figure out for herself what the deal was between herself and Connor before she could attempt to rationally explain her reasoning to her sister.

She walked out of the bedroom only to jolt a little upon seeing Faith sitting on the couch, her feet up on the coffee table, flipping through a magazine. She had almost forgotten that she and Buffy no longer lived alone.

The brunette slayer gave Dawn a quick once-over before smirking at her. "Got a hot date?"

Dawn immediately felt the blush rising in her cheeks. As she struggled to find an appropriate answer, Faith laughed. "It's alright. You don't have to explain. I can see right through you." She paused. "So, you're back together?"

"I don't know if I'd say that," Dawn said hesitantly. She shifted awkwardly. "We're just going to try and give things another chance. Kind of a fresh start, I guess."

Faith nodded slowly. "When are you going to tell big sis?"

"I don't know," Dawn responded hotly. "I'm just...this is confusing enough for me as it is..."

She held up a hand. "It's okay. I was just wondering. Your secret's still safe with me."

Dawn nodded sincerely in thanks. "I appreciate that. I am going to tell her soon, I just need to think about it first."

Faith nodded. "Well, have fun. And I'm probably going out, so if you guys wanted to come back here for a little roll in the hay later...I'll stay clear."

Dawn's jaw dropped a little at the audacity of her words. Finally she just laughed. She was used to Faith's crudeness by now. Her mind drifted back to a little conversation the two of them had back in Sunnydale, in the Bronze, and she blushed. "I don't think that will be necessary."

"Just in case," Faith said casually. She smiled. "Have a good time."

"Thanks," Dawn said. She stood there for a second before finally turning and exiting the apartment, laughing inwardly at how strange her relationship with her sister's former rival had become. She was covering for her, having frank conversations about sex...what was next? She smiled and shook her head at the thought as she hailed a cab.

> > > > >

When the cab pulled up in front of James's dorm, Dawn immediately saw that Connor was sitting on the stoop waiting for her. She quickly paid the cabbie and exited the cab. She let her face relax into an easy smile as she approached him, noticing that he held a single red rose in one hand. Her mind flashed back to one of their first nights patrolling together in Los Angeles, when he had given her an identical flower. _Guess I'm not the only one who was reminiscing about old times,_ Dawn thought.

"Hey," he said as she approached him. He smiled as he extended the flower towards her. "For you."

She happily accepted it. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"It's the least I could do," he admitted. "I still can't quite believe that you're really willing to give me- to give us another chance."

Her expression was serious as she stared into his eyes. "Some things shouldn't be given up on so easily."

He stared at her. "A hundred roses every day for the rest of our lives wouldn't make up for the pain I caused you."

She gave him a gentle smile. "Why don't we head to the movies?"

He nodded, understanding that it was time for a new subject. "Sounds good." He paused. "If you don't mind, I was thinking we'd walk...the theater isn't that far from here."

"Fine with me," Dawn agreed. After standing there awkwardly for a moment, he started moving slowly down the street, and she fell into rhythm beside him. For a while they just walked in silence, enjoying the comfort of each other's company.

"You look beautiful," Connor said suddenly, staring at Dawn's profile in the dimming light of the sun. "I like your hair like that...it shows off your face better."

"I like it too," Dawn said, smiling a little to herself as she looked down at her rose.

Connor cleared his throat a little. "So, did you ever talk to your sister?"

Dawn let out a little frustrated sigh. "Why does _everybody_ keep asking me that?"

He was a little taken aback by her reaction. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you..."

She instantly regretted it. "No, I'm sorry. It's just...I need to figure out what this is for me before I can explain it to Buffy," she said, as calmly as possible.

He took a moment to process that. "And what is this? To you, I mean."

She looked at him. "Right now, it's just a date with someone I enjoy spending time with, and that I've missed," she said casually. "What about for you?"

He looked straight ahead as he spoke. "It's an opportunity to make up for a terrible mistake." Silence followed his comment. They walked along together for a few blocks without either of them speaking a word. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the movie theater.

Connor pulled out his wallet as they studied the list of showings. "You pick. It will probably be mostly gibberish to me anyways," he admitted.

She studied the list of titles in Italian. "How about that one?" she said, pointing to the first film listed.

Connor shrugged. "Sounds good." As they approached the ticket window, Dawn reached out and touched his arm lightly. He briefly closed his eyes from the tremendous effects the tiniest touch had on his entire body.

"Um, why don't you let me do the talking," she said lightly, giving him a slight smile. She slowly withdrew her hand, as uneager to break the connection as he was. He nodded in response and allowed her to step ahead of him to the ticket window. He listened to her smooth Italian as she ordered the tickets. Once the total came up, he stepped up beside her to hand over the money. Once they had their tickets and were headed into the theater, she thanked him.

"Please, don't mention it," he said quietly. They paused in front of the concession stand. "Would you like any popcorn?"

She immediately thought of their first trip to the movies together. Popcorn_ leads to hands brushing. And hands brushing leads to.._. "No, I'm not really hungry," she replied quickly.

"Yeah, me neither," he quickly agreed. After hesitating for a moment they finally made their way into the theater. The lights were starting to dim, and many of the seats were filled. Connor spotted two seats in one of the back rows, and they quickly took them. As the first trailer started, Dawn suddenly became aware that he was staring at her. As she swivelled her head to meet his eyes, he quickly averted his gaze. They both blushed a little as they turned their attention back to the screen.

They remained this way through all of the previews, and into the beginning of the film. Then it happened.

Thinking back, she wasn't exactly sure what had started the inevitable chain reaction. She must have been adjusting her position when she ended up brushing Connor's arm as it rested on the armrest between them. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and she made no move to break the connection. Finally, she slowly leaned back in her seat again so their arms were no longer touching.

Several minutes later she became aware of his arm moving. First, up and over the back of his own seat, as if relaxing. Then, she felt it slowly begin to snake down until it was draped across the back of her own seat. Almost instinctively, she slid down a little so that her upper back and the back of her neck came in contact with him. By this point, it seemed as if someone had pressed the mute button on the film, and all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart.

From the back of her chair, his arm made it's way down so it was completely around her, hugging her shoulders. Her eyes fluttered closed at the warmth of his embrace. As if controlled by a third party, her hand slowly moved up to touch his fingertips as they lingered near her right shoulder. He quickly responded to the touch and their fingers intertwined, relishing the feel of each other's skin again.

He slowly reached his free hand out towards her, lightly grazing her cheek, turning her face towards him. _You should stop. You can't rush this..._ his rational thoughts were overpowered by the overwhelming desire to touch her. Before he knew it she was leaning towards him. He met her halfway, and their lips touched almost gently, slowly reacquainting themselves. This was a slow, tender kiss, not so much one between two people who had been apart for nearly two weeks, but almost like a first kiss, full of sweetness and curiosity. After a long moment it deepened, and Dawn found herself scooting over in her seat so she could be as close to him as possible despite the restrictions of the armrest between them. She moved her hand to his shoulder, and he wrapped both arms around her waist as they quickly became eager for more contact. As he kissed her all logical thoughts vanished from her mind, and all she could think of was them, right there in that moment.

They only broke apart when the need for air overwhelmed their quickly rekindled passion. As they both caught their breath, their eyes met. Although neither of them had said a word since they had sat down, more had just been communicated than any amount of conversation could have accomplished. As she looked at him, he noticed that the wall of defense that he had spotted in her expression earlier seemed to have dissipated, and now she was staring at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that for before she began to shift. He felt a jolt of worry as he wondered if she had regretted the kiss, but he immediately relaxed when he saw that she was leaning against his shoulder, her expression serene and beautiful. He smoothly slipped his arm back around her shoulders as she leaned against him. Connor took a moment to breathe in the scent of her hair, something he had never thought he had noticed yet had missed so much during their time apart.

It may have been ten minutes or ten hours later that the movie ended. All sense of time had seemed to vanish as they both became trapped in their own little world. Only when everyone around them began to stand did they both realize that movement was necessary. She reluctantly sat up straight and slowly rose from her seat. She picked up her purse and the red rose and looked at Connor expectantly. He followed suit and got up, looking as dazed as Dawn felt. Finally, the two of them filed out of the theater behind the crowd, two of the last to leave.

They remained quiet until they were out on the street, where all traces of daylight were now gone and only the dim glare of the streetlights made seeing possible. Dawn was relieved when Connor spoke first.

"So...do you have any idea what the movie was about?"

Her face broke into a little smile. "Not a clue...I probably could have figured it out if I wanted...but I was a little distracted."

Connor stopped walking, coming to a standstill near the corner under the light of one of the streetlights. "Were you...were you okay with that? I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have..." he muttered something about taking things slow.

Dawn gazed up at him. "I think that if I had a problem with it, you would have known."

He could not express the relief and joy that he felt upon hearing her say that. "Good."

She slowly reached out and took his hand. "Do you want to walk home? I know it's kind of a hike, but I'd like to spend the time with you."

He smiled happily at her. "Of course." They slowly began to walk down the street, hand in hand, enjoying each other's company. They quickly settled into a relaxed conversation about all sorts of things: Gina and James, Dawn's classes in school, her new friendship with Amelia, wondering how all of their friends from Sunnydale and LA were doing. The only topic they avoided was that of their relationship. Right then, it just felt better to talk without any added pressure.

They became so engaged in the conversation that Dawn was surprised to see that they were only a few blocks from her apartment. What was usually a long, thirty minute walk had seemed to go by in a flash.

The street was quiet and deserted, the only sounds being the distant rumble of dance music and a few foggy voices, probably evidence of a party nearby. "I had a really nice time tonight," Dawn said as her apartment building grew closer. The two of them paused on the corner across from the building, neither of them really wanting to complete their walk, as they knew it would mean having to say goodbye.

Connor had just opened his mouth to say something when the sound of a twig snapping down the side street caused them both to freeze. Instinctively, he moved himself between Dawn and the noise, going quickly into destroyer-mode. "Who's there?" he called out firmly.

A vampire stepped out of the shadows. He was tough and burly, wearing a leather motorcycle jacket. A female stepped up next to him, morphing into her true face as she snarled at Dawn and Connor.

"I think you guys picked the wrong people to mess with," Connor said confidently. He held out a hand subtly, warning Dawn to stay back and let him take care of this. After a moment the male charged at him, and he reacted by swiftly ducking, grabbing the vampire's feet, and flipping him over so he landed violently on the pavement a few feet away. The female made an angry noise as she started to run full-force at Connor. He moved ably, blocking her blows. "I need a stake!" he yelled suddenly.

Dawn snapped out of it, quickly searching the street for anything that could be used as a makeshift weapon. Her eyes fell upon some discarded wood by a dumpster down the street, however, she would have to get past the fallen male vampire in order to get to it. "Down there!" she called out, gesturing to the pile. Connor caught her motion, and quickly got the female vampire in a headlock and began dragging her down the street. As he began to pass the fallen vamp, Dawn noticed with horror that he was beginning to get up. "Connor, behind you!" she called, quickly running to back him up. But it was too late, and the male vampire had already grabbed Connor from behind, forcing the female out of his grasp. She took a swipe at Connor with long, talon-like nails, and he cried out as they made contact with his arm. Horrified, Dawn quickly ran around the group and picked up a piece of wood from the pile, struggling to break off a piece that could be used as a stake. She saw the female begin to come at her out of the corner of her eye, and with all of her might she swung the semi-heavy wood at her head, connecting with a loud thwack as she hit the pavement. Finally, a piece came off in her hands. "Connor!" she called, tossing the makeshift stake underhand through the air. He caught it expertly and immediately swung it down into the male vampire's chest as he lied on the ground, with Connor straddling him. He quickly turned to dust and Connor quickly spun, searching for the female. She had risen unsteadily to her feet after Dawn's blow, but after seeing her companion literally bite the dust, she seemed to be lacking in confidence as she turned and attempted to run down the street. But Dawn was ready, and she delivered a swift kick to the stomach. This held her up just long enough so that Connor could deliver the stake in her back. She turned to dust between them, leaving them once again alone.

Dawn stooped to pick up her purse, which she had dropped in all of the excitement, glad to see that her rose was lying on top, unharmed. As she looked at Connor, she realized with alarm that his face was slightly contorted in pain. Her eyes fell upon the gash on his arm, which had ripped his shirt and broken the skin quite badly, to the point where blood was streaming out. "You're hurt," she said quickly.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, it's nothing..."

"No, that's definitely not nothing." She hesitated for only a second. "Come on, let me fix that for you." She swiftly wrapped an arm around his waist, leading him firmly across the street and into the apartment building.

"Thanks for backing me up out there. Couldn't have done it without you," Connor said, slightly out of breath.

"No problem," Dawn said as she fumbled for her key. "Brought back some old memories." She flashed him the smallest trace of a smile as she successfully opened the door, stepping inside and setting her rose and purse down on the counter before making a beeline for the bathroom.

Connor stood still once inside the apartment. It was kind of eerie to be back here, after it had been his home for so long. Not much had changed, except he noticed a couple blankets and a suitcase piled in one corner next to the couch, clearly Faith's. He slowly followed Dawn's footsteps to the bathroom, where he found her getting antiseptic and some bandages out of the medicine cabinet. He also noticed that she had removed her white jacket, leaving herself in just a little black tank top. "Where are your sister and Faith?" he asked, trying to distract himself from her newly exposed skin.

"Buffy's working late. Faith..." A blush suddenly rose to her cheeks as she remembered her conversation with the slayer before she had left for her date. "I think she was going, um, out," she said quickly. She poured some antiseptic onto a cloth and stepped towards him. She gently turned him so that she could see his wound. "Um...you should probably take your shirt off," she said nervously.

Feeling the sudden tension in the room, Connor nodded. As he pulled it over his head, he grunted slightly from the pain of moving his wounded arm. Once he was bare-chested he turned so that she could access the gash. She tried not to look at his bare chest and stomach as she gently wiped his arm. He reacted to the sting. "Sorry," she apologized. He remained quiet as she wiped off the blood, throwing the dirty cloth in the garbage. She then expertly applied a bandage to the cut. "All better," she said shakily, moving to wash her hands.

He gingerly touched the fresh white bandage. "Thanks." He shook his head, mad at himself. "I always have a stake, I guess I was just distracted today and forgot to bring one..."

"It's okay," she said, patting her hands on a towel. They stood there in the small bathroom for a moment, staring at each other. Connor found himself thinking back to their first time alone in this bathroom together, after Dawn had purposely started the paint fight, and they had taken their clothes off and...he forced himself to stop thinking about it. He slowly turned and exited the bathroom, slowly pulling his torn shirt back on, making sure not to move the bandage. When he turned around he saw that Dawn had also left the bathroom and was now standing on the edge of the living room. Her hair was still in the high ponytail, so there was nothing hiding her bare neck and shoulders as she stood there in the black tank top, looking as beautiful as ever. He gulped a little bit as his mind raged with thoughts and desires.

"I should probably go," he said quietly. He wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to control himself alone here with her, in their old home.

"That's probably a good idea," Dawn said, her voice hushed. He tried to read her expression, but it was inscrutable. She was simply staring at him as if she were deep in thought about something.

"Thank you. For going out with me, for helping me out with those vampires, and for the bandage," he said sincerely.

"No problem," she said quietly. "So...should I call you?"

"I'll call you," Connor said. She nodded, her expression still blank. He thought about going over to kiss her good night, but he knew that if he did, they wouldn't be able to stop at a kiss. The only reason the one in the theater hadn't gone farther than it had was the public setting, something that was no longer an issue. "Well...good night, Dawn." He looked at her for one last, long moment before he slowly turned and started towards the door.

She watched him go, thoughts swirling inside of her head. All of a sudden she heard herself speak, before she even remembered thinking the words.

"Connor- wait."

He spun around, taking his hand off the doorknob. Their eyes met. _Oh screw it,_ Dawn thought desperately.

Who moved first was anyone's guess; all they knew was that in a matter of a split second they both half-ran to each other, and he gathered her in his arms as their lips met, this time with passion and fire. He pressed her body flush to his as he wrapped his arms around as tight as they would go, and she entwined her arms around his neck, as they both released all of the pent-up tension they had been holding in ever since the kiss in the theater, and possibly before. Soon her feet left the ground and her legs were wrapped around his waist as he clutched her close to him. He quickly moved to the living room wall and pressed her up against it, as his mouth moved from her lips down to her neck and shoulder.

And you ask me what I want this year  
And I try to make this kind and clear  
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days  
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings  
And desire and love and empty things  
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

"Connor," she moaned.

"I want you so bad," he breathed.

Her only response was quickly removing his shirt for the second time in five minutes, discarding it carelessly on the floor as she roamed her hands over his bare skin. They had been intimate lots of times in the past, but this time was different, more primal and lust-filled, even a little frantic as they longed to feel each other again. Even though it hadn't even been two weeks, it felt like months had passed since they had been together.

He swiftly pulled her tank top over her head so that only her black bra remained. At some point he gently let her hair out of it's ponytail so that it cascaded around her shoulders, allowing him to run his hands through it. Somehow they made it to the opposite wall next to the couch, leaving a trail of clothes behind as they rushed to eliminate the barriers between them, Connor somehow thinking logically enough to find protection before things got too far.

So take these words  
And sing out loud  
Cuz everyone is forgiven now  
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

They made love right there against the wall, and then quickly transferred to the couch. For the first time in weeks Dawn's mind was not plagued by worried or troubled thoughts, instead her mind was blissfully blank as she felt herself come alive again with him. _We're not meant to be apart_, she vaguely remembered thinking at one point. _Not when we fit together so well._

Finally, they collapsed on the couch, panting. Dawn made a noise that sounded like a half-moan, half-sigh as he turned over so that she was nestled between him and the back of the couch, nothing covering them as they lied there. "God, I love you," he muttered in her ear, kissing the lobe gently.

And it's someplace simple where we could live  
And something only you can give  
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive  
And the one poor child that saved this world  
And there's 10 million more who probably could  
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

"I love you too," she said, the joy at hearing him speak those words to her again nearly overwhelming her. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I'm sorry for kicking you out without hearing your side of things. I'm sorry if I overreacted. I just...it's not even about her. Or the kiss. I was just upset that you didn't trust me enough to come to me right away. But I see now that we weren't meant to be...not together. It would take something much worse than that to tear us apart." She felt tremendous relief as she poured out these thoughts that had been stewing in her mind for days now.

He wrapped his arms around her tighter, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for not trusting you as much as I should have. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done. I love you, Dawn. And I promise you, from now on, you will get nothing from me but complete honesty and faith."

She nearly cried hearing him say that. "Oh Connor." Suddenly she realized exactly were they were, and what they were doing, and she started laughing almost uncontrollably.

"What?" he asked, breaking into a grin.

She rolled over so that they were facing each other. "We're so stupid. We both really thought we were going to take things slow? Start over? Now look at us."

He grinned. "I suppose we were overestimating our self control." He paused. "Although, I did worry that it was just me that wanted you so bad. I never could have dreamed that you still.."

"I never stopped," she admitted. "I tried. I really did try to make myself...hate you. I tried to make myself wait before rushing back into things. But I think I realized at some point that I just couldn't. I love you too much."

So take these words  
And sing out loudCuz everyone is forgiven now  
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight  
And somehow stop this endless fight  
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

He kissed her lightly. "I felt like a part of me was dead without you. I realized how empty my life is without you."

"This just feels so right," Dawn said quietly. She smiled a little to herself. "What a night. I never would have thought just a few hours ago that we'd end up here."

"It's almost like the universe wanted us back together," Connor mused. "I mean, we chose to walk home. Then there were the vampires, if I hadn't gotten hurt I probably never would have even made it up here..."

"With your shirt off," she added with a giggle.

"Yeah. Just imagine, if things had gone a little differently tonight this might never have happened. We might have deprived ourselves for even longer," he said, horror filling his mind at the prospect.

"It would have happened soon anyway," Dawn admitted. "I just needed to finally admit to myself that I forgive you. And that I was ready to move on from all of this darkness." She paused. "Promise me we'll never be apart again."

Connor hugged her tight. "I promise." He gently lifted her chin so he could gaze directly into her eyes. "Dawn Summers, I love you. And I promise that I will never, ever hurt you again."

"I love you too," she said, her eyes moist. They kissed again, this time holding on as it became more passionate, and the complete lack of clothes suddenly became very real again. "What do you say you show me again?" she whispered huskily.

His lips trailed down to her neck. "I suppose you could twist my arm." He slowly sat up, gathering her in his arms and heading for the bedroom, where they closed the door behind them and proceeded to make up for some more lost time.

So take these words  
And sing out loud  
Cuz everyone is forgiven now  
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again  
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

> > > > >

TBC! Please review!


	18. Chapter 18: Some Explaining To Do

A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait. Thank you so much to everyone who has continued to review! I can't believe this is chapter eighteen already! I think you guys will enjoy this one. Please continue to review, I love hearing what you think!

Also, if anyone knows anything about high schools in Italy, like customs, traditions, events, anything really, please contact me. I want to start going into more of that in this story, and I would like it to be as accurate as possible. Thanks!

> > > > >

Chapter 18: Some Explaining to Do

The apartment was almost eerily silent when Buffy finally arrived home, slipping in the door quietly. It was a little after midnight, and the only light in the apartment came from the faint glow of the streetlights outside, peeking through the cracks in the blinds.

As she closed the door behind her, she suddenly got the feeling that something was off. Call it a sixth sense caused by seven plus years of being the slayer, or just chalk it up to intuition, but Buffy suddenly got the suspicious feeling that something wasn't right. She glanced around in the dark, only able to clearly see what was a few feet in front of her. Then her eyes fell upon the single, perfect red rose, lying still on the kitchen counter, next to Dawn's purse. Frowning, Buffy slowly reached back to hit the light switch, bathing the front half of the apartment in light. She gently picked up the rose, carefully avoiding the thorns as thoughts swirled loosely in her mind. Her eyes found something lying on the floor, screamingly out of place even though the apartment wasn't exactly what you'd call organized. She had to take a few steps closer before she recognized it to be Dawn's black tank top. A car drove by outside, suddenly illuminating the rest of the apartment in a dingy, white light, and she saw that this was not the only piece of clothing on the floor. No, there was a trail all the way across the width of the room, jeans, a shirt she didn't recognize, a bra, and, to her horror, a pair of boxers. The couch cushions were all skewed, and the lamp shade next to the couch was on crooked, hanging there pathetically. As semi-darkness fell over the living room once again, Buffy turned and walked slowly, but with purpose, toward's Dawn's bedroom door, not allowing herself to put the pieces together just yet. Without hesitation she pulled it open and reached inside to turn on the light.

"Oh my _God_."

A gasp escaped from Dawn's mouth as she jolted awake from the sudden bright light, and she instinctively clutched the sheet to her bare chest as she sat straight upright. Next to her, Connor opened his eyes groggily, but seemed to snap out of his haze when he saw Buffy standing in the doorway. He glanced over quickly at Dawn, but she was staring straight at her sister, her face a combination of shock, horror, and panic. He squirmed in the bed, making sure he was covered.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding," Buffy said in dismay.

"Buffy, I can explain, this isn't what it looks like..." Dawn's voice trailed off. "Actually, it's exactly what it looks like, but just please-"

"Dawnie, what are you _doing_?" Buffy asked, incredulous. She stared at her sister, speechless, before turning her furious gaze to Connor. "And you. How dare you-"

"It's good to see you too," Connor muttered, feeling very exposed and sheepish about the entire situation. He discreetly moved his hand to touch Dawn's, hoping to calm her. "Buffy, listen, I'm sorry-"

"Dawn, have you forgotten that you have spent the last two weeks crying over him? He made you miserable. He broke your heart. And then, I come home in the middle of the night to find you naked in bed, with the living room looking like a war zone? How did you expect me to react?" Buffy said, visibly upset.

_Oh shit_, Connor thought, remembering their little escapades earlier in the living room and wincing. _We got so carried away, we completely forgot that she would be coming home._

"Look, I know how bad this looks," Dawn said, trying to be calm, although her voice betrayed her with it's unusually high pitch. "But you have to understand. Connor and I are back together, we decided to move on from everything that happened-"

"And when, exactly, did you decide this?" Buffy demanded. She hadn't moved from the doorway, and she was still holding the rose in one hand. "Do you expect me to believe that after wanting nothing to do with him for two weeks, he shows up here and you just fall right back into bed with him?"

Dawn flinched as if she had been slapped. "Okay, why don't we all just calm down and discuss this like rational adults," Connor interjected, holding up a hand as if to shield himself and Dawn.

Buffy was just about to respond when the apartment door opened once again. Faith stepped inside, walking up so she was behind Buffy. She paused for a second as she looked from the messy, clothes-strewn living room to the blonde slayer to the young couple in bed, looking very much like deer in the headlights. "Hey Connor," she said calmly, as if she had walked in on nothing more interesting than an infomercial. Without as much as a raised eyebrow she sauntered to the living room, easily sidestepping the various clothes and undergarments as she turned on the light, pausing a second to right the lamp shade. Then she straightened out one of the couch cushions, kicked off her boots, and plopped down, switching on the tv and crossing her legs as if it were just another night. Buffy stared at her for a second, her mouth opening and closing slightly as she shook her head, but then she seemed to change her mind, turning her attention back to the problem at hand. It took her a moment to regain her train of thought.

"So, is anyone going to explain to me why I am supposed to _not_ be upset?" she said, her voice cool and even.

Dawn pulled one of the sheets around herself as she got out of the bed and moved towards her sister. "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, this really wasn't what I had in mind."

"Oh, well that's comforting," Buffy snapped, shooting a glare at Connor, who was still sitting awkwardly in the bed.

"Buffy, I made a mistake. I decided to meet Connor on Saturday, just to talk. I didn't tell you because I didn't think you'd understand why I needed to see him. I know that I should have, and I'm sorry. And then tonight, we went out, and then we were attacked by vampires in the alley, and..." She stopped herself, deciding that elaborating on where that story led would only make things worse. "But we realized that we still love each other, and I forgave him."

Buffy just stared at her, disappointment in her eyes. "Dawn, do you think that lying to my face, sneaking around with Connor behind my back, and then letting me come home to find this," she waved her hand around wildly, gesturing behind her towards the living room and then at Connor in the bed. "You do those things and expect me to be _okay_ with it?"

Dawn didn't know what to say, so instead she moved wordlessly to the living room, quickly picking up Connor's clothes, as well as her own. She gathered them in her arms before spinning around to face her sister. "I'm sorry. This was very irresponsible of me. I know. But Buffy, you have to give us a chance to explain." She shuffled back to the bedroom, wordlessly handing Connor his clothes. She stared at her sister helplessly before quietly closing the door so that she could get dressed too.

As the door closed, Buffy took in a long, ragged breath, trying to calm herself down. As thoughts swirled through her mind, she looked over at Faith, reclined on the couch, happily watching an old Italian sitcom. "Did you know about this?" she demanded suspiciously.

Faith looked at her as if she had just noticed she wasn't alone. "Me? You mean, about D and Angel junior shacking up again? What would make you think that?"

"Well, I don't know, maybe the fact that you walked in right in the middle of me having a major freak out over seeing them in bed with the living room a mess, and you barely even blinked?" Buffy said, speaking very quickly as a result of her newfound anxiety.

Faith shrugged. "From what I've heard, you shouldn't talk about a few messed up cushions. Didn't I hear something about you and Spike bringing down an entire building?"

Buffy slowly clenched her fists. "You're avoiding the question." She paused a moment to think. "You _did_ know, didn't you? Did she confide in you, tell you that she was seeing him again?"

"No, she didn't," Faith said honestly. "But it didn't take a rocket scientist to see what was going on. Hell, I just got here and I could tell something was up from the first time she lied about where she was going." She cocked her head to the side, looking Buffy up and down. "B, you want to know my honest opinion? I think you see what you wanna see when it comes to little sis. Maybe the reason I can tell what's going on is because I'm just the casual observer." She glanced back at the tv, where a laugh track was roaring in the background of the show.

Buffy shook her head, refusing to believe that. "No. I know my sister, she just hid this from me..."

"She didn't do a very good job of it. When I got here, Dawn was miserable. The girl was broken, B. And maybe the reason I saw it is because I _know_ broken. I've been broken my whole damn life. The closest I ever got to a normal life was these past few months. But then Robin..." Faith's voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. "Dawn and me, I think the two of us get each other. Ask her, we have some kind of understanding or something, it's actually kind of freaky considering what a brat she used to be. But hell, if getting back with Connor is going to make her happy again, then I'm not gonna stand in the way." She looked at her fellow slayer, her expression solemn. "I think one of us deserves to be happy."

As Buffy looked at Faith, really looked at her for maybe the first time since she'd come to Rome, she saw a flash of what maybe Dawn had seen all along. Sure, there was the same tough exterior that she had come to know more well than she'd wanted to, the same stubborn resolve. But there was also something else in her eyes: pain. Actually, Faith looked more vulnerable right in that moment than Buffy had ever seen her, sitting on the couch with the remote in her lap, wearing a low cut black tank top and tight, low-rise jeans with clunky black boots. Sure, she might look like the same Faith. But she saw now that this girl was different, different even from the girl she had connected with and gotten help from during the last battle in Sunnydale. Something about this realization caused Buffy to grow quiet, gradually drawing her eyes away from her fellow slayer as she waited for Dawn and Connor to come out.

> > > > >

Once they were alone, Dawn turned to Connor with a look of dismay. "How could we be so _stupid_?" she whispered, dropping the sheet and pulling on her underwear. "I can't believe she came home and saw _that_, not to mention walking in on us...no wonder she's furious."

"I'm not going to say it," Connor muttered as he pulled his shirt over his head. He was almost surprised to see the bandage still on his arm; the fight seemed like a million years ago now.

Dawn narrowed her eyes at him. "What? I told you so? Well, I wouldn't blame you, because I should have just told her right away. I got myself in this situation."

Finished dressing, he moved to touch her shoulders. "Shhh. Everything is going to be okay. We have each other again. We can do anything as long as we're together." He leaned in to kiss her gently before pulling her in close for a hug. She gratefully breathed in his scent, the faintest trace of the mild cologne he always wore mixed with sweat from their "reunion". Even though she knew what awaited her on the other side of the door, she felt safer and more relaxed than she had in weeks. He was right: as long as they had each other, everything would be okay. Being together was all that mattered. Unfortunately they had learned that the hard way, but they were stronger because of it.

He smoothed her hair, looking into her eyes. "Ready?"

She nodded. "As I'll ever be." He started towards the door before she reached out to touch his arm. "Connor...let me do the talking. No offense, but I think she's pretty pissed at you."

"And what led you to _that_ conclusion?" he said dryly. She just shot him a look before reaching out to open the door. To his slight surprise, she grabbed his hand before heading out into the living room. He squeezed hers, holding on tightly.

They both saw Buffy's eyes go straight to their entwined hands before moving back up to look them in the face. All three of them were silent for a long moment, none of them wanting to start. The only sound in the room was the faint babbling coming from the tv, which Faith was watching on low volume as if it was actually better entertainment than the real-life scene unfolding before her eyes.

Finally Buffy began. "So you say this started on Saturday." Her voice was even and calm, with not a trace of the anger and near-hysterics from earlier.

Her sister's apparent relaxation made Dawn breathe a little easier. "Yes. Well...not exactly. We just met to talk. We both had a lot of things that still needed to be said."

"And _you_," Buffy said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she redirected her gaze at Connor. "You're the one who arranged this little...meeting?"

"Yes," Connor said. He was about to go into more of an explanation when he decided it would just complicate things even more, so he remained quiet.

"But then it was my idea to see him again. To go...on a date," Dawn said, wanting to make it clear that this reconciliation was in no means one-sided.

Disbelief and confusion caused Buffy's forehead to wrinkle slightly. "See, that's the part I don't understand. Dawn, do you remember when I came home to find you sobbing in the middle of the living room? You were devastated because of what he did to you. And now a few apologies and you're back together, just like that?"

Dawn looked down at the floor as she felt Connor's gaze turn to her, in sadness and regret after hearing how she had reacted. She forced herself not to look at him. "It wasn't just like that," she said quietly. "We realized that we just weren't happy without each other. I forgave him, Buffy. And before you say anything, I forgave him because he made it more than clear to me that what happened was a mistake, and we decided together that we can move on from it."

"Buffy, I understand how pissed you probably are at me. You love your sister, and I'm sure that you probably want to hit me right now. And I would probably deserve it. But I just hope that you can give me another chance," Connor said bravely.

Buffy just stared at him. Finally she moved her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes slightly as she relaxed against it. "I just can't believe this."

Dawn looked up at Connor, worry in both of their eyes. "Look, Buffy, I know it's weird. And I never expected that this would happen tonight. But it did, and I don't regret it." Connor smiled down at her as she spoke, in awe of her boldness. "So Buffy, please. Don't you want me to be happy?"

Buffy looked at her tiredly. "That's all I've ever wanted."

Dawn moved her other hand so that both were clutching Connor's. "Well, this is what makes me happy." She decided not to say anything else, feeling that she had said all that she could in her defense.

Buffy looked between the two of them. Then she glanced over at Faith on the couch, who had to abruptly look back at the tv to not be caught watching the scene intently. She took a deep breath. "Well I suppose that I can't exactly forbid you to get back together. And it does seem that you mean it when you say that he makes you happy." She paused slightly, but not long enough for anyone to interject. "But this doesn't mean that things are going to go right back to how they used to be." Dawn nodded, bracing herself for what she knew was coming next. "Connor, you will not be moving back in with us. And before either of you can protest, I think that maybe that was a little too much to begin with. Besides, my sister may have forgiven you, but you still have some work to do before I can trust you again."

Connor nodded. "I understand."

"And Dawn," Buffy continued. "The fact that you will no longer have a live-in boyfriend does not mean that you are free to spend every waking hour out visiting him. You do have your senior year to think about, and I think it might be time we set up a few rules around here." Dawn nodded solemnly.

"And _you_," Buffy said, eyeing Connor once again. "You hurt her one more time, and I _promise_ you that little scratch on your arm will be _nothing_ compared to what I'll do to you."

"Damn straight," Faith chimed in from the couch, expressing her agreement.

Connor winced, but only slightly. "Deal."

Buffy looked at Dawn questioningly. "Is that all clear?"

Dawn tried not to look too disappointed. She knew that she had no right to complain. "Yes."

The three of them just looked at each other for a minute. Dawn and Connor were still holding hands tightly. "So I guess that settles it, then," Buffy said. She looked at Connor pointedly as if waiting for something.

It took him a moment to catch on. "Oh. Right. So I guess that's my cue to leave," he said awkwardly. He glanced down at Dawn.

Dawn looked at her sister. "I'll walk him out." The two of them headed for the door, but Connor hesitated, turning back to look at Buffy.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

She just shrugged. "Sure." Connor gave her a little half-nod before he and Dawn slipped out the door into the hallway.

Once they were alone she gazed up at him, no longer trying to hide her disappointment. "This sucks," she whispered.

He leaned in and kissed her gently. "It's okay. We can handle it. We can handle anything, remember?"

She smiled a little at that, stepping in close for a tight hug. "Tonight was amazing," she said softly.

"It was," he responded. They pulled back enough so they could look at each other. "I'd better go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to see you as much as I'd like as long as Buffy's on the warpath," Dawn said grudgingly.

"Hey, it'll be okay. She'll come around to me again eventually."

Dawn sighed. "She'd better." She leaned in for one more kiss. This one lasted longer, neither wanting it to end.

"Good night," Connor said, squeezing her hand. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said. They smiled at each other one last time before he started down the hallway. Once he reached the stairs he glanced back, and she waved after him. Then he continued on his way until he was out of her sight.

Dawn slowly reentered the apartment. Buffy was sitting at the kitchen counter, watching her. "You need to go to bed. You have school in the morning."

Dawn nodded. "I'm going. Good night."

"Good night."

"Good night Faith," Dawn called out as she entered her bedroom.

"G'night," Faith called back, still watching the tv.

Dawn closed her bedroom door behind her and glanced around. After weeks of seeming so empty, it had finally felt right again earlier. Now, it was back to empty. But at least the physical space of the room was as far as that emptiness extended.

She slowly changed into her pajamas. Just as she was about to crawl into bed, a sudden thought came to her. She moved to the dresser, and opened the top drawer, reaching underneath everything until she found it, right where she had stuffed it on the lowest night of her life. Her hands were steady as she fastened the heart shaped pendant back around her neck where it belonged. She squeezed her hand around it as a smile spread across her lips. Finally, she turned off the light and got into bed, and for the first time in weeks, she had no trouble falling asleep.

> > > > >

A short while later, Connor quietly pushed open the door to James's dorm room, expecting him to be asleep, considering it was nearing 2 am. To his surprise, his friend was wide awake, sitting at the computer typing away. He turned around when he heard him come in, raising an eyebrow at him in question. "Well, that must have been quite the date," he said suggestively.

Connor tried to keep a straight face but couldn't help but break into a grin. "We're back together," he said happily, reaching down to take off his shoes.

"All right," James said, grinning back at him. He swung around in his chair, whatever he was doing on the computer temporarily forgotten. "So, tell me about it."

"Well, we went to the movies and everything as planned," Connor began. "And things seemed to be going pretty well. And then I was walking her home, and all of a sudden we were attacked by these vam- muggers," he said, catching himself quickly. "Yeah, some muggers tried to, um, rob us. I got a little scratched," he said, gesturing to his arm.

"Oh man! That sucks. You guys are lucky you're alright," James said seriously.

Connor nodded, eager to get past the fudged part of the story. "So anyways, she brought me in to get cleaned up...and one thing kind of led to another," he said, trying not to grin at the memory.

"Ah. I see what you're sayin'," James said with a smirk. He glanced at the clock. "But wait a second, if things went so well, what are you doing back here?"

"Um, yeah, we kind of got so carried away we forgot that Buffy would be coming home," Connor said sheepishly. "So she came back, and..." he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh man! She didn't," James demanded.

"She did. And not only did she kind of catch us in bed together, but we hadn't exactly left the living room in the best, uh, condition," he continued with a grimace.

"Yikes," James said with appreciation. "I don't envy you that one, man."

"Yeah. It was pretty bad, Buffy kind of freaked. It was made worse by the fact that Dawn had been waiting for the right moment to tell her we were seeing each other again. But she did admit that she can't stop us from getting back together. She's not that thrilled about it, but I think she'll come around."

James nodded. "Well, that's great! I'm really happy for you." He hesitated. "So, the whole thing with Kerri..."

"As good as forgotten," Connor said with extreme relief. "Dawn understands. We both realized that we love each other too much to let one mistake ruin everything."

"I told you it would work itself out," James said triumphantly. He glanced around. "So, I guess this means I'm going to have the place to myself again!"

Connor winced. "Um, yeah, about that...when I said Buffy eventually agreed she can't stop us from being together? She also said that there were going to be some changes. Like, I can't move back in." He paused thoughtfully. "And she also kind of threatened to kick my ass, but that's besides the point."

James laughed out loud. "Buffy? Kick your ass? She's like, tiny!"

"I wouldn't underestimate her," Conner said wryly. He cleared his throat. "So, yeah, I'm sorry but it looks like I'm not leaving just yet. But I promise, now that everything is more or less back to normal, I'm going to look for my own place, starting tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it, it's not like I'm kicking you out," James said easily. He glanced around at the small space. "But I think we both agree that this arrangement won't exactly work forever."

Connor laughed. "Yeah. But hey, I really owe you one."

"No problem." He temporarily turned back to the computer, hitting a few buttons and causing a document to slowly come out of the printer on the other side of the desk. "Term paper," he said in response to Connor's questioning gaze. "Due in...seven hours. Can't say I'm not a procrastinator."

Connor laughed. He yawned suddenly, stretching his arms. "I think I'm gonna turn in, I'm kinda tired." He reached over and grabbed his blanket from the corner and moved to what had become his spot on the floor.

"Yeah, you would be tired," James said casually. Connor just glared at him as his friend broke out laughing.

> > > > >

The next morning Dawn was surprised by what she found when she emerged from her bedroom, all ready for school. Buffy was already sitting at the kitchen counter, eating cereal, and there was another bowl sitting across from her waiting. "Good morning. Come sit," she called out.

Dawn slowly walked over, knowing something was up. Most of the time Buffy didn't even eat with her, let alone set out her breakfast. "Thanks," she said suspiciously, starting in on her cereal.

"You're welcome." Dawn noticed that Buffy had a pad of paper and a pen with her. Before she could ask, her sister began to speak in an official-sounding tone. "So I think it's time we have a little discussion about what we talked about last night. How things are going to change around here."

Dawn nodded slowly as she chewed her cereal. "What kind of changes?" she asked after swallowing.

Buffy glanced down at her notepad. "Well, first I wanted to talk about school. You haven't exactly started the year off on a great note, with everything that's been happening, and I want things to improve. This year is important, Dawnie, college is next year. I know it's hard with the whole language thing, but I know that if you spend enough time on your schoolwork you'll do fine."

"I have been doing fine," Dawn insisted.

"Dawnie, come on. We both know that your mind has been on other things lately. So I thought if we set up a few ground rules, it would help make sure that you spend enough time on your work."

_Oh boy,_ Dawn thought, bracing herself. "What kind of rules?" she asked timidly.

Buffy looked at her, her face stoic and firm. "Well, from now on you can only go out on a school night after all of your homework is done. And you have to be home and in bed by eleven. No exceptions."

"What about weekends?" Dawn asked.

"I think that midnight would be okay. But only if you tell me where you're going and who you're going with. And you have no right to fight me on this. You lied to me, Dawn, so you need to gain back my trust." Dawn could tell from the tone of her sister's voice that she was dead serious.

"What about Connor?" Dawn said flatly.

Buffy gave her a look. "You know I said that I won't stop you from being with him if that's really what makes you happy. So you can see him whenever you want, as long as you're back before curfew and you let me know when you're going to be seeing him."

Dawn nodded. She could deal with that. The only thing that bothered her was that with a curfew and Connor living elsewhere, finding "quality time" together might be difficult. She couldn't help but feel frustrated. After being miserable for weeks, she was finally happy again but couldn't completely bask in it.

"Do you understand?" Buffy asked, staring at her pointedly.

"Yes, I understand," Dawn responded. She stood up to put her bowl in the sink, and she stopped when she saw her red rose, sitting in a small vase by the sink. _She didn't throw it away,_ she thought with surprise. She set down her bowl and walked over to it, inhaling it's scent deeply. After a long moment she snapped out of it, glancing at the clock. "Well, I should go," she said, gathering her coat and school bag.

"Have a nice day," Buffy said politely.

Dawn nodded. "I will. And Buffy?" Her sister looked up at her expectantly. "I-I'm sorry. I just thought you wouldn't understand."

Buffy's mind drifted back to the conversation she'd had with Faith the previous night. "I'm sorry too," she said, surprising herself a little. She was sorry, she was sorry if she had been too blind to see what was going on, she was sorry for maybe not being there as much as she should have been. She already intended to talk to her boss as soon as she got to work today and cut back on her hours. Some things were more important.

Dawn smiled a little. "Bye Buffy."

"Bye." Dawn closed the door behind her as she left, leaving Buffy alone with her notepad and her thoughts. At least until Faith came in a few moments later, holding a bag from the coffee shop down the street in her hand.

"Little sis leave already?" Faith asked conversationally, taking the seat that Dawn had vacated and pulling some jelly-filled pastry out of the bag.

"Yes, she did," Buffy said quietly. She shook her head as Faith motioned to split her "breakfast" with her.

"Everything okay with you two?" Faith asked, her mouth slightly full as she took large bites of her food.

Buffy considered that. "I don't know. But I think they will be."

> > > > >

TBC! Please review!


	19. Chapter 19: Adjustments and Reflections

A/N: Here we go...sorry for the long wait. There shouldn't be TOO much time before the next update. I hope everyone's still enjoying the story...I know I'm certainly enjoying writing happy Dawn and Connor again. ;) Please continue to review and let me know what you're thinking! Your reviews are my encouragement!

> > > > >

Chapter 19: Adjustments and Reflections

The next morning, Connor got up early, had breakfast with James, and headed out like a man on a mission. He had been mooching off his friend long enough, and it was about time he found his own place. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, his job did pay a decent wage, but paying rent and completely supporting himself was going to be a challenge. Back in Sunnydale he had his own apartment for a while, but Angel and Cordelia had sent checks to pay for the rent...and his Christmas present for Dawn, and bought things for the apartment...this time would be different. But he felt strangely optimistic as he headed down the street with purpose in his stride. Now that things were right again with Dawn, he felt like himself again. During their time apart he had constantly had this dark cloud hanging over him. But now that it had lifted, he found himself hopeful for the future again. Sure, there was still a little ways to go before things got back to the way they were, if that was even possible. He had some serious kissing up to do regarding Buffy, if he was ever going to make her trust him again. But he pushed that to the back of his mind. The important thing now making Dawn his number one priority in life, even moreso than before if possible. This whole ordeal had really proved to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he was not going to screw things up again.

He started off without a specific destination in mind, but he soon ended up in Buffy and Dawn's neighborhood, almost by instinct. It would make sense to find a place in the same area, it would make it easier to see Dawn. But he had to be careful not to get _too_ close. He was on thin ice with Buffy right now, and if she had kicked him out only for him to move down the street, he was sure things wouldn't end well.

Remembering their experience with a realtor upon arriving in Rome, he wisely decided to just take matters into his own hands. With his perhaps unrealistically optimistic mindset, he cheerfully continued down the street, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.

> > > > >

Dawn rushed into homeroom only a few seconds before the bell, having been detained longer than usual by her sister. Her face was flushed from hurrying up the stairs as she sank into her usual seat beside Amelia. She turned to her friend, eager to tell her about everything that had happened since they had last seen each other, but she had yet to utter a syllable when Miss Valenti strode into the room. Dawn sighed with frustration, causing Amelia to look at her with curiosity. "You won't believe what happened," Dawn mouthed to her friend, who raised an eyebrow in anticipation. After a second a lightbulb seemed to go off in Amelia's head.

"Connor?" she mouthed back, a knowing expression on her face. Dawn nodded, beaming uncontrollably. Amelia could barely suppress her uncharacteristic squeal of delight. As Miss Valenti started to write the day's assignments on the board, Dawn opened her notebook and began to jot a note to her friend.

_We're back together! Last night was so amazing. We went to the movies and things kind of started happening, and then he came back to the apartment and...you know!_

She waited until the teacher's back was turned before she dropped the folded paper on the floor, kicking it over to Amelia casually. Her friend caught on immediately, dropping her pencil and scooping up the note along with it. Dawn watched her face as she read the note, watching the blonde grin before scrawling something on the paper herself and kicking it back.

_I'm so happy for you! See, I told you everything would work out!_

Dawn was about to send the note back when Miss Valenti came around, handing out a classwork assignment. Instead she just gave her friend a look that clearly said "we'll talk later." Amelia nodded in response and they both focused their attention on their work, occasionally sneaking little sideways grins at each other.

> > > > >

"_Wow_. That's crazy," Amelia said, her eyes wide as the two of them stood by the sinks in the bathroom during their first break of the day.

Dawn nodded in agreement. She had just finished relaying the events of the previous night and her conversation with Buffy this morning. Of course she had to glaze over a few parts, such as the real reason that Connor had ended up coming inside in the first place being that he was banged up from a vampire fight. "So yeah. It does suck just a little because it's going to be a lot harder to spend time with him now that Buffy's on the warpath."

"Don't even think that way. You guys will find a way to make it work. And who knows, maybe not being together 24/7 will even add some...I don't know, spice to the relationship," Amelia suggested, leaning against the sink.

Dawn laughed. "I guess you never know. But I'm just...I feel so happy right now. I feel like I'm alive again. This morning on the way here, everything just seemed a little brighter, the flowers, the sun."

"You were practically glowing when you walked into class this morning," Amelia noted. "I could tell something was up even before you said anything."

"Am I that obvious?" Dawn said with a giggle, still grinning from ear to ear.

"No, obvious is what you guys did last night! It's no wonder you got in trouble with Buffy, what were you guys thinking?" Amelia chastised playfully.

Dawn groaned slightly, resting her head against the wall. "I don't know, we just got a little carried away, I guess. But it was really stupid. Not to mention embarrassing."

Amelia raised an eyebrow in agreement. "So, are you going to see him tonight?"

"I don't know. As of right now he's still living with James...but I assume he'll probably start looking for his own place now that he knows he's definitely not moving back in to the apartment."

"Can he afford that?" her friend asked with concern.

Dawn shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know. I mean, his job pays pretty well. But life is expensive these days. His dad would give him money in a heartbeat..." she realized what a poor choice of words that had been before continuing, "but I know that asking him for help is probably at the bottom of Connor's list."

"They don't have a good relationship?" Amelia asked with a frown.

"Well, it's complicated," Dawn said delicately. "Angel didn't raise Connor, he was taken away when he was little and then came back a few months before I met him. Connor wasn't very accepting of Angel as his dad at first. They've made some progress now. But I still know that there are few things Connor would hate more than begging his dad for money. It's not just their past, it's his personality."

She nodded, understanding. "Sounds like he must have had a complicated childhood."

_You don't know the half of it_, Dawn thought to herself as she agreed. "Yeah. He did." She suddenly realized something. "You haven't even met him yet, have you?"

"No. With all the drama going on, I haven't had the chance," Amelia said playfully. "I feel like I already know him though."

"Well, we still have to make it official. Hey, we should all hang out this weekend, me and Connor, Gina, you, James. It would be fun!"

"Yeah, fifth wheel, sounds like tons of fun," she said dryly.

Dawn gave her a pouty look. "Come on. You could have a great guy. You just need to put yourself out there a little more."

Amelia crossed her arms self-consciously. "I don't know, Dawn. I'm not nearly as pretty as you or Gina."

"Don't ever say that. You _are_ pretty. And you're also one of the friendliest, sweetest people I've ever met. Remember those guys in the club when we went out with Gina? They were interested in you," Dawn pointed out triumphantly.

Her friend blushed. "I guess."

Dawn put her arm around Amelia. "The right guy will come along for you. I promise. Sometimes it just takes time. I'd never been in a successful relationship...actually, any relationship, before I met Connor."

"Really?" Amelia said with disbelief. "I would have thought a girl like you would have had boyfriends since junior high."

"Hardly," Dawn said dryly. "I think that a lot of it came from watching my sister. Buffy's been...well, she hasn't had much luck in the love department."

"Wasn't she involved with Connor's father?" Amelia asked, remembering that Dawn had mentioned that the first time they had talked.

"Yeah. They had something really special. But it didn't really work out for a lot of reasons," she said vaguely. "I still don't think Buffy's really moved on from him. I mean, there have been other guys, but it's never been the same."

The bell rang, letting them know that it was time to continue on to class. Dawn glanced in the mirror, giving her hair a toss and checking for lipstick on her teeth. "Do you think they'll ever get back together? Your sister and his dad?"

Dawn gave her a sad smile. "Who knows. I mean, a lot of the reasons they broke up are still an issue," she said slowly, trying to explain things without...explaining things. The two of them gathered their books and headed into the hallway.

> > > > >

When Dawn came home from school, she found that she had the apartment to herself. She dumped her bag on a chair and headed to the fridge to grab a drink. Spotting a pink Post-it right at eye level, she peeled it off, recognizing her sister's handwriting:

_Dawn, _

I'm working the day shift today. I should be home by five. Remember what we talked about this morning.

Love,

Buffy

Dawn couldn't help but roll her eyes. That was so typical of her sister, subtly warning her to not even think about going out to see Connor without actually saying it. She knew that was all she had to say. Dawn had no intention of disobeying Buffy's new rules. Not yet, at least. It was a punishment she had deserved after lying to her sister and then getting caught red-handed.

"She didn't say anything about phone calls," she said rationally, grabbing the phone and flopping down on the couch. She dialed James's number first, figuring that was the most likely place Connor would be. James answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey James, it's Dawn. Is Connor there?"

"No, sorry, he's not. Last I saw him was early this morning, he was going out apartment hunting."

"Oh, I figured he might be doing that. You don't know if he had any luck?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope. I think he should be at work now. I'm going in later, I'll tell him you called."

"Okay, that would be great. Just tell him to call me."

"I will. And Dawn?" There was a pause. "I'm really glad you guys worked things out."

She smiled softly. "Me too. I'll talk to you later, James."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone and glanced at the clock. She played with the idea of calling Connor's work, but usually he was out on a job anyway and she just ended up struggling to make someone who spoke Italian understand what she wanted. _I really need to get him a cell phone_, she thought. Now that they weren't living together, she didn't like the idea of not being able to talk to him whenever she wanted. She still had her own, although she had barely used it since they had come to Rome. Maybe it was time to break it out again.

She looked longingly at the tv. _Libero e Bello_, her favorite Italian soap was on. Today Fiyero and Desdemona were getting the paternity test results for little Armando. But as much as she wanted to see what happened next, she had a pile of homework calling her name, and if she didn't get started right away, any chance she had of seeing Connor that night would evaporate. So with a sigh she pushed the remote aside and began piling her books on the coffee table.

> > > > >

It was a few minutes after five when Buffy entered the apartment, balancing a pizza box in one hand. She smiled proudly upon seeing Dawn on the couch, scribbling intently in a notebook, a textbook open in front of her. "Hey Dawnie," she called out, sitting the box on the counter and hanging up her jacket. "How was your day?"

"Hey Buffy," she said, her voice chipper. "It was good." She closed the textbook with a satisfying _thwack_, and stacked the notebook on top. "And I am done with my homework."

Her sister stared at her, obviously impressed. "All of it?"

"Yup." She bounced to her feet, making a beeline for the pizza box. "You thought I didn't listen," she accused casually, fetching a paper plate from the cabinet.

Buffy blinked, surprised. "No, it's not that, I just thought...I'd thought you'd try to resist it more."

"Why would I?" she asked, before taking a large bite of pizza.

Buffy moved to the cabinet, getting herself a plate. "Well, I'm glad that you decided not to fight me on this." She gave her little sister a serious look. "I only want what's best for you, Dawn."

"And Connor's what's best for me," she replied cheerfully, not missing a beat. "Which is why I'm going to go see him as soon as I'm finished with this pizza. And before you can say anything, I already finished my homework, I'll be back by eleven, and I already told you where I'm going."

She wasn't giving Buffy any room to argue. "Okay. I promised I wouldn't stop you."

Dawn polished off her slice of pizza with one last, giant bite before tossing the plate in the garbage. Then, just like clockwork, the phone rang and she bounced to pick it up. "Hello?" The wide grin that broke out on her face immediately let Buffy know who it was. "Hey! I miss you too. So, where are you?" She listened for a moment, propping the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she pulled on her shoes that she had kicked under the coffee table earlier. "Oh, okay, sure. I can't wait." She grinned, if possible, even wider. "I'll see you soon...I love you too." She hung up the phone and turned to her sister. "Connor just got out of work, and he's coming over to pick me up. Then we're going out. He'll be here in ten minutes." She disappeared into the bathroom, moving as if she was floating on a cloud.

Buffy chewed her pizza hard, trying not to be mad. She was still incredibly pissed at Connor for what he had done to her sister. A part of her had even hoped that with her new rules and regulations Dawn would see less of him and maybe even come to realize she was making a mistake. But clearly, that wasn't the case. And she couldn't exactly say that anything that was making her little sister happier than she had been in weeks was bad.

"Where's Faith?" Dawn called from the bathroom.

Buffy laughed. "Who knows? You wouldn't even think she lived here, since she's only here about 6 hours a day."

Dawn emerged from the bathroom, running a brush through her hair. "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm kind of glad she came here."

The blonde slayer raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you used to hate Faith?"

"Yeah, I did. But I don't know. Back in Sunnydale, those last few days, I kind of came to...not hate her as much. And now, since she's been here...I feel bad for her. I know she's hurting more than she lets on. And in some weird way, the two of us just get each other."

Buffy couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable at the way her sister talked of Faith almost...fondly? "I never thought I'd hear you say that," she said after a long silence. She frowned, thinking. "What exactly happened between you guys back in Sunnydale that made you not hate her as much?"

Dawn froze slightly, unsure if that was a topic she wanted to discuss with her sister right now. "Well, um, it wasn't really any one specific thing-"

"Come on, she must have done something," Buffy pried.

"There was this one night in the Bronze when we had kind of a nice conversation." Dawn quickly escaped to her bedroom, hoping her sister would drop it.

"About what?" Buffy rose from her seat and went to stand in Dawn's doorway, watching her as she reapplied some lip gloss in front of the mirror.

"About Connor," Dawn admitted. "I was just thinking about some stuff, I was still a little nervous, since it was my first real relationship. I just didn't want to mess anything up. And Faith just kind of made me feel better."

Buffy leaned against the doorframe, directing her gaze down at her feet. "You could have talked to me, you know."

Dawn gave her a quizzical look. "You were a little busy at the time, saving the world and all. Don't be offended. I know that I can talk to you about stuff."

Buffy wasn't so convinced. "Yeah. Okay." There was a brief uncomfortable silence until a knock on the door interrupted it. Dawn's eyes brightened instantly as she threw her lip gloss in her purse and practically bolted out of the bedroom like a bat out of hell. She flung the door open, revealing a smiling Connor on the other side.

"Hey baby," she said softly, stepping into him for a kiss, which lasted probably longer than it should have, considering they had an audience. Finally, Buffy moved towards the door, causing them to reluctantly break apart.

"Hello Buffy," Connor said cordially.

Buffy nodded towards him, a small, forced smile on her lips. "Hello Connor." She cleared her throat. "You can have Dawn fill you in on the new rules. But have her home by eleven."

His eyebrow raised slightly at the mention of 'rules', but he hid it well. "Um, okay. I will."

"Bye Buffy," Dawn called over her shoulder, her hand already happily entwined with Connor's. The door closed and Buffy was left in the empty apartment with only a barely-touched pizza to keep her company.

She glanced at the remaining pizza, but she had lost her appetite. She absently closed the box and wandered into the living room, coming to a stop by the window. She looked down just in time to see Dawn and Connor walking off happily down the street, still holding hands. It still seemed so strange to her that it hadn't been too long ago that she had come home to find her sister practically drowning in her own tears in the living room, and now she seemed to have completely forgotten. _That's true love_, she couldn't help but think.

As if on cue, the phone rang, causing her to jump slightly. They didn't get many calls, so when it did ring it usually caught her off guard. She knew who it was before she even crossed the room halfway. She had always had this strange sixth sense when it came to him. Buffy had her hand on the receiver by the second ring, but she waited a moment, not wanting to seem too eager. Finally, on the third ring, she picked up, trying to keep her voice casual as if she had no idea who was calling. "Hello?"

"Buffy. Hey." Yup, there it was. The strange sensation in her stomach that always accompanied hearing his voice, especially when it had been a while.

"Hi Angel," she said, trying her best to sound chipper.

"It's been a while, so I just thought I'd call and see how you were doing," he said, attempting small talk.

Buffy winced inwardly as she realized that things had changed since they had last talked. He was going to find out that Connor wasn't living with them anymore eventually, so it was probably best if she broke the news to him now. "Everything's fine," she said vaguely.

"How's my- how's Connor? And Dawn?" he asked.

"They're good. They actually just went out together," Buffy informed him, leaning against the kitchen counter. She knew that she should interject and explain somehow everything that happened, but she didn't know where to begin.

"Okay. What aren't you telling me?" he said gently, after a short silence.

Even thousands of miles away he could see right through her. "Well, I suppose something has changed since we last talked. Things have been a little...tense the past couple weeks. But the good news is, everything seems to be completely back to normal now," she reassured him.

"Buffy?" he asked warningly.

"Okay, okay. Well...Connor isn't exactly living here, with us, anymore." She braced herself for his inevitable reaction. She had to admit that she did feel a _little_ guilty about virtually kicking Angel's son out...well, technically, Dawn had kicked him out and she had just...refused to allow him back.

"Excuse me? Why not? Where is he? Did he and Dawn..."

"They had some...problems. Something happened, they had a big fight, Dawn kind of kicked him out. He's been staying with a friend of his from work for the past couple weeks. But then I guess they both realized that they couldn't stand to be apart, so they're back together and they seem to be happier than ever," she said, trying to sound happier than she was about it.

"But Connor isn't moving back in," Angel said flatly.

"Um, no, not so much. Come on, Angel, you have to understand where I'm coming from at least a little. He really upset my sister, I mean _really_ upset her. I'm surprised that she even forgave him, honestly. But I guess that what they have between them is stronger than I thought."

"Well, what do you expect him to do, Buffy?" Angel said, sounding worried.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I might have considered letting him move back in if Dawn didn't lie to me and choose not to tell me that she was seeing him again. And if I didn't learn the news in a very...shocking way when I came home last night and found the two of them...you know."

She could practically hear Angel raising his eyebrows. "Oh." He cleared his throat. "Well, um, I guess I can understand. But, is he okay? He can't stay with this friend of his forever."

"I would think that now he knows he's definitely not moving back in that he'd start looking for his own place."

"How can he afford that?" Angel said worriedly.

"I don't know, okay? He has a decent job, I'm sure he can afford something." She was feeling even more guilty now.

"Will you please tell him to call me?" Angel said tightly.

"I will," Buffy promised. She thought quickly, desperate to change the subject. "Oh, and Faith is here."

"Faith? In Rome?" he said with surprise. "I thought she was in New York."

"She was. Robin's dead," she said quietly. There was silence on the other end as Angel took in this news. "I guess they were fighting some vamps and one of them got the better of him. Faith feels responsible."

"I know I barely knew him, but Robin seemed like a great guy. I'm sorry to hear that." He paused. "How is she?"

"Who knows? I mean, she puts on a good show, tries her hardest to pretend everything's fine. But Dawn's convinced that she's pretty torn up." And she agreed. Last night when she had really looked at Faith, really looked at her for the first time since she'd arrived, she had glimpsed the pain in her eyes that Dawn had seen all along, probably because she had been feeling the same way.

"That's how Faith operates. She liked to pretend nothing gets to her, but it all does. But I'm surprised that she worked up the courage to go to you," Angel commented. "I'm glad she did."

"Yeah. So am I." _And so's my sister, her new best friend._

The two of them talked for a few more minutes. Angel told her that Willow had called about a week earlier, and that she and Kennedy were doing well in South America. Buffy felt bad for not having kept in better contact with her friends, and made it a point to give Giles, Willow, and Xander a call sometime very soon. She told him that Dawn was doing well in school, and talked a little about Gina and her job. After a while it became clear that they were both just dragging out the conversation because neither one wanted to break the connection.

"Is everything okay with you?" he finally asked hesitantly. "You sound a little...distant."

She sighed. "Yeah, everything's fine. It's just...I don't know. I feel a little lonely sometimes. I hardly ever see Dawn, even Faith is never around. Sometimes I just miss everyone." She was surprised to hear herself say this out loud, it was really the first time she had allowed herself to do so. She knew deep down that part of the reason she hadn't been calling her friends regularly was because hearing their voices would just make her miss them even more. It was ironic, really. She thought it had been lonely being the Chosen One, but now that she was one of many, she felt more alone than ever.

"Well, when I talked to Willow, we had an idea. We thought that maybe everyone could come back here for the holidays in a few months. I know people are busy and everyone might not be able to make it, but it might be a good time to just get together. I mean, only if you're okay with it," he added quickly.

She smiled. "That sounds really great."

"Good." There was a long pause, as they had both finally run out of things to say. "Well, I guess I'll let you go. Tell Connor to call me, and say hi to Dawn and Faith."

"I will. Bye Angel."

"Goodbye Buffy." She hung up the phone, then as usual sat there for a minute longer to regain her composure and assume normal breathing patterns again. She felt relaxed again by the time the door opened and Faith strolled in.

"Ooh, pizza," she said happily, eagerly opening the box and helping herself to a piece, not bothering with anything as frivolous as a plate. "Where's Dawn?" she said with her mouth full.

"She went out with Connor. I have to say I'm impressed, she finished her homework early so she could see him without breaking any of our new rules," Buffy said wryly.

Faith pulled herself onto a stool, already almost finished with her slice. "Angel just called," Buffy said suddenly. "He said to say hi."

Faith nodded, considering this. "I suppose you told him what happened," she said after gulping down the last bit of crust and reaching for a new slice.

"Yeah. I did. He was very sorry to hear about Robin." Buffy could tell from Faith's expression that this wasn't exactly a conversation she wanted to have, so she changed the subject. "But anyway, he mentioned that he talked to Willow and they thought it might be fun if everyone got together in LA for Christmas."

"Great. The Scoobie Gang all deckin' the halls together," she said with a smirk in between bites.

Buffy laughed. "Well, I think it could be good for all of us."

Faith studied her for a moment. "You must be gettin' really lonely out here, B, willing to waltz all the way back to LA, leave your job, your new life, everything."

"It would only be for a couple of days," Buffy muttered, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. She looked around. "Um, I think I'm going to go out for a little while." She strode quickly to the door, grabbing her coat on the way. "I'll see you later."

"Later," Faith called after her, starting on her third piece of pizza, frowning slightly as she wondered what that was all about.

> > > > >

"Ouch," Connor said with a wince. Dawn had just finished relaying to him her conversation with Buffy earlier that day, and the new rules that existed in her life.

"I know. But I made up my mind, I'm not going to let her win. I'm not going to let this prevent me from having everything I want," Dawn said confidently, beaming up at him as they strolled down the street hand in hand.

"Well, I went apartment-hunting today," he announced. "It's funny how many times I've done that in the last year," he realized with a chuckle.

"And?" she asked excitedly. "Did you find anything?"

"Actually, I did. Well, I think so at least. Nothing's finalized yet, but I think it could work," he said slowly.

"Where is it? What's it like?" she demanded.

"It's actually not far from here, only about a five minute walk from your place. And it's...it's small, but small is pretty much what I can afford, and I figure I don't need much space anyway. Just enough for me and you when you can...escape."

She gave him a look before continuing. "But is it nice? I mean, clean and everything? I don't want you living in some hole-in-the-wall crappy apartment. I'd feel way too guilty."

"No, it's really not crappy. Just...small. But with the right furniture I think it'll be fine. But Dawn, there's no reason for you to feel guilty. It was your sister who kicked me out," he said gently.

She came to a stop, looking up at him. "No, it wasn't. I kicked you out. Buffy just made it permanent."

He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "No. Don't even say that. That's all behind us, remember?"

"I know, I know. But I just feel bad. Now you're going to be living in some miserable little dumpy-"

"Dawn, it's _really_ not dumpy-"

"Sure, whatever. But I just..." She was forced to stop talking when his lips suddenly landed on hers, forceful but still gentle. She relented and returned the kiss, relaxing into his arms.

"I don't want to ever hear you say that you feel responsible for what happened," he said, his voice so low it was almost inaudible. She nodded slowly. He touched her chin playfully. "Now what do you say we go find something fun to do?"

"I'll go anywhere with you," she said. It was clear that she meant it. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they continued down the street towards whatever the night might bring.

> > > > >

TBC! Please review!


	20. Chapter 20: A Scare and a Surprise

A/N: I'm on a roll! I had a lot of fun writing this one. And also...I've been a little disappointed by the small number of reviews lately. I see the number of people who view the chapter, and when only 2 review, it's a little disheartening. So please, if you would just take a minute of your time and let me know what you think, it would mean the world to me.

> > > > >

Chapter 20: A Scare and a Surprise

"Are you ready?" Connor asked his girlfriend as they stood outside the door of his new apartment that Saturday.

Her expression was tense, as if she was half-afraid of what she might find inside. "As I'll ever be," she said with a weak smile.

He laughed as he turned the key in the lock and opened the door. "It's really not that bad."

She paused on the threshold, noting that no strange or pungent odors emerged when he opened the door. Definitely a good sign. She had to admit, after seeing the building, which could definitely use a repair or ten, she had been about ready to run back in the other direction. But she kept reminding herself that this was what Connor could afford, and that at least it was only a short walk away from her place. She tentatively stepped inside all the way, scanning the room.

And 'room' was the proper word. The apartment was a studio, small but not cramped. It was a little dark, and she saw that the one window seemed to face an alley and wasn't getting much natural light. But other than that...it really wasn't bad. The walls had a semi-fresh coat of white paint, not original or particularly eye-catching, but decent. A bed was pushed against one wall, and a futon-style couch and an end table sat in the middle of the room. There was a wood bureau next to the bed, and in one corner there was a small refrigerator with a microwave resting on top. A small table and two chairs stood nearby. There was a floor lamp next to the bed, and off in the far corner a door led to what she assumed what the bathroom.

"It's not bad," she said honestly after giving the place a thorough once-over. "I mean, you could _really_ benefit from a little HGTV love, and some more light would be nice, but it's not bad."

"I know it's not as nice as the one back in Sunnydale," he commented. "But that was kind of a rare stroke of luck. And when I get my next paycheck I'm going to get some more stuff for the place."

"It seems clean," she said optimistically, walking around slowly.

"I wouldn't have moved in if it wasn't. I mean, I want this to be a place you feel comfortable," he pointed out.

She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. "It's nice, Connor. Really. And with a few more touches, it'll be even better."

He looked relieved. "I'm so glad you're okay with it." He moved to give her a kiss.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know, this is only temporary. I mean, in the spring I'll graduate, and then we can get a place together."

"What about Buffy?" he asked pointedly.

Dawn shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. I mean, I would feel guilty about leaving her by herself. But maybe by then she'll have found someone and she won't be alone, and then we'll be free to be together all the time."

He kissed her again. "Everything's gonna work out. You'll see."

She stepped away from him, sitting down on the bed, but not before discreetly checking for dust and coming up negative. "So...did you call Angel yet?"

He stiffened slightly. Ever since Buffy had told him that his father wanted to speak with him, he had dreaded actually making the phone call. But at Dawn's insistence, he finally had the night before. "Yeah, I did. He just wanted to check up on me, since Buffy told him I'm living on my own. Of course, he wanted to send money, but I told him no."

"He just wants to help you, Connor," Dawn said patiently. "And since he can't be with you, he's trying to just help you in any way that he can."

"I know. I just don't need anymore of his charity, you know? Back in Sunnydale, it was okay, I had no clue what I was doing, no job. But now things are different." He shrugged. "I'm more used to things. And besides...like you said, in the spring you'll graduate and I want to be able to support you. Through whatever comes next."

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "That's one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me."

"Well, it's true. I want to be someone you can depend on, and I can't be that person if I'm dependent on someone." He sat down next to her.

She swiftly moved so she was sitting on his lap, her legs dangling off to the side. "I love you."

"I love you." He kissed her, a little more passionate and lengthy this time before they fell back onto the bed, giggling as the bed creaked loudly.

> > > > >

One week later

It was another bright Saturday morning as Dawn sat on the couch, crouched over her homework. She finished a sentence on an essay and paused, flipping open her assignment book, groaning at the number of assignments she had due in the coming weeks. "I guess it can't hurt to organize a little," she said to herself as she headed for the bedroom. Buffy was working the early shift today, and Faith had already taken off on one of her many outings. Connor was at work, putting in some extra hours in order to save more money, so that left her alone, using the time to get ahead on her schoolwork.

She rummaged in her drawer until she found her weekly planner/address book. Humming as she walked back to the couch, she opened to today's date, folding down the page as she prepared to write in all of the due dates. As she started to turn ahead to next week, something- or rather, a lack of something- caught her eye. She quickly flipped back one week...then two...three...four...five...six weeks. Six weeks of blank pages with nothing written in. "That can't be right," she muttered, her homework temporarily forgotten. She scanned back through the pages again. It was after the third time that it hit her.

She swore loudly. The planner slipped from her hands, landing on the floor with a thud.

For a minute she just sat there, silent and still. _No. It must just be a mistake, with everything that's been going on you just forgot to write it down_, she told herself. She went back through her memory, closing her eyes hard in order to think. Nothing.

"No, no no no no, this is not happening," she groaned, leaning back against the couch cushions. She started to feel dizzy, so she leaned forward until the sensation passed, trying to breathe normally.

"Okay Dawn, think," she instructed herself. But her mind kept coming back to one thing.

Was it possible?

Well, of course it was possible. She knew as well as the next girl that the only foolproof method of prevention was abstinence, and that ship had sailed a long time ago. But that didn't mean it was likely. They had always been careful, she couldn't remember a single time when they hadn't been.

As thoughts flooded her mind, the panic started to sink in. She struggled to keep her cool, standing and starting to pace around the living room.

She needed someone. She quickly scanned through the mental list of people that she trusted and that were within a ten mile radius. It only took her a few seconds before she practically dove for the phone, dialing the now-familiar number with shaking hands. A man answered on the third ring.

"H-hello, is Amelia there?" she managed to say.

"Yes, just a moment," the man who she assumed to be her friend's father replied. About ten seconds passed before her friend's voice came over the line.

"Hello?"

Dawn had never been so happy to hear someone's voice in her life. "Amelia. It's me. I need you, it's an emergency. Can you come over right away?"

For a second she was silent, probably shocked at Dawn's urgency. "Um, of course. I'll get a cab right now. Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," Dawn said honestly. "Just please...hurry."

"I'm on my way." Without another word, she hung up the phone. Dawn did the same, taking a few deep breaths before glancing at the clock. It would take Amelia at least twenty minutes to call a cab and get there from across town. That gave her enough time to do what she knew she couldn't put off. She moved robotically to her bedroom, gathering her purse and key and heading out the door.

> > > > >

She had been home for about 3 minutes when the knock on the door came. Since she had been sitting on one of the kitchen stools waiting, Amelia's hand was still poised to knock when she swung the door open. Without a word she reached out and gently pulled her friend inside, closing and locking the door behind her. "Dawn, what the hell is going on? You're really freaking me out," Amelia said, her eyes wide and frightened as she stared at her.

Dawn thought briefly about how that was the first time she had heard her friend swear since meeting her. "I'm sorry, I'm just really scared and I didn't have anyone else to call."

Amelia reached out and touched her arm. "It's okay, just please tell me what's the matter."

"I think I might be pregnant," she blurted.

Her friend's eyes grew even wider, and her skin seemed to grow three shades paler. "What?" she stammered. "I mean, okay, start from the beginning."

Dawn started to pace again. "I don't know! I just got out my planner, I was going to write down some assignments, but then I noticed that I didn't have any of the little stars I usually make when I get my period. And it's been almost six weeks. Six weeks."

"So that means you're..." she struggled to do the math.

"Eleven days late," she said, having counted at least half a dozen times.

Amelia took a deep breath. "Okay. The important thing is to stay calm. You've been really stressed out lately Dawn, with everything that happened, that could be why. It makes your hormones get all out of whack, it's pretty common."

"Sure, it could be, but it could also be that I'm _pregnant_!" Dawn hissed wildly. "I mean, I just don't understand. We _always_ use protection, Amelia! Even when we jumped each other and did it right in this living room, we _still_ took a second to be safe!"

Amelia blinked. "Okay, I know I'm your friend, but I think that was a little too much information. But Dawn, you know as well as I do that...things can go wrong. It's not a hundred percent."

"I know, I'm not stupid," she snapped, instantly regretting it. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."

"I know. It's okay. Look, we're probably just getting worked up over nothing. You need to take a test, we can't panic until we know something for sure," Amelia said rationally, her voice shaking slightly.

Dawn slowly held up the paper bag on the counter. "I already got one. But I was just...I didn't want to be alone when I did it."

Her friend smiled gently, squeezing her hand. "Go. I'm right here." Dawn nodded slowly before turning and heading for the bathroom, moving slowly and stiffly as if she was walking the plank. "And Dawn?" She turned around. "Just know that whatever happens, I'm here for you."

She couldn't help but smile at that. "Thanks. For rushing over here, for not yelling at me, for everything."

"What are friends for? Now go," she urged. Dawn shut herself inside the bathroom as Amelia settled in to wait.

Dawn emerged a few minutes later, her face grim. "We have to wait five minutes," she explained, going to take a seat next to her friend on the couch. Amelia immediately took her hand.

"I can't believe this is happening," Dawn said flatly. "Everything was so...perfect." She snorted. "What's that saying, if something seems like it's too good to be true, it usually is?"

"Don't say that. We both know that's not true," Amelia reasoned, running her free hand through her dark blonde hair and straightening the glasses on her nose.

"You know what he told me last week?" Dawn asked. "He told me that he wanted to be someone I could depend on. He talked about getting our own place after graduation." She shook her head. "But now...all of that could change."

"Dawn, I've heard enough about Connor to know that he would never let you go through this alone. If it is...if you are..." She stumbled on her words. "I'm sure he would support you."

"Sure, he would. But that doesn't mean he'd like it. And Buffy," Dawn said in horror. "Buffy's going to kill me. She was against this from the beginning, me and Connor sleeping together, she would never forgive me."

"We don't know _anything_ yet. I really think we should both hold off on panicking or jumping to conclusions until we see the results," Amelia insisted.

"How much longer?" Dawn said after a moment.

Amelia glanced at her watch. "Two more minutes."

Dawn made a loud, exasperated noise, causing the other girl to startle. "Why has these past three minutes felt like three _hours_?" She suddenly whirled to face her friend. "Do you think I'm pregnant?"

Amelia was visibly taken aback by the question. "Um, I don't know. Do you...do you have any symptoms? Like nausea, or morning sickness? Have you been feeling extra tired lately?"

"No," Dawn admitted. "But not all women _get_ symptoms."

"That's true." Amelia was at a loss for what to say next.

Dawn suddenly leapt off the couch and began pacing again. "Who the hell am I kidding? I can't have a _baby_! Amelia, I'm seventeen years old! I can barely use the microwave! All _four_ of my Giga-Pets died within hours of me getting them! And back in Sunnydale, I stepped on a crossbow and ending up killing a cat! And it wasn't even _my pet_! Look at me, I can't be a mother! What the hell was I _thinking_? And Connor, I love him, but the boy needs to be reminded to make his bed in the morning! And where would we get the money to support a baby? I can't work if I'm going to stay in school, and Connor would have to ask his dad for money, and he _hates_ that. And what about enjoying our youth? We can't exactly go out for pizza on a Friday night if there's a _baby_ to take care of!" She was on a roll now, her face growing more and more desperate as her voice grew louder. "What the hell am I going to _do_? I'm not ready for this!" She was so absorbed in ranting and wearing a groove in the floor that she didn't even notice when Amelia slipped across the room and out of sight. "Having a baby isn't like planning a vacation. You need to be mature, you need to be able to think things through, they need to be fed, and changed, and clothed, and burped, and I don't even know if I've held a baby before! I would have no idea what to do!" Amelia appeared in front of her again, an unreadable expression on her face.

"I mean seriously, maybe Buffy was right! I should have _never_ had sex with Connor! Look at me now! I'm going to have stretch marks before I can VOTE!"

"Dawn..."

"Connor's not even going to want to look at me anymore, this is going to change everything, I mean I always thought we would get married and have children but that was like, long-term!"

"Dawn-"

"How could I have been so _stupid_? I mean, I went to health class, I watched the Miracle of Life, the stupid videos on teen pregnancy, but I always thought 'of course that will never happen to me'-"

"DAWN!" Amelia finally yelled at the top of her lungs.

"WHAT?" Dawn cried, equally loud, her eyes wide and crazed.

Her friend simply held up the little white stick. "You're not pregnant."

For a second Dawn was certain she stopped breathing. "What?"

"I said, you're _not pregnant_," Amelia said, a small smile itching at the corners of her lips.

For a second Dawn just stood there, unable to think or move or do anything. "I'm not pregnant," she finally repeated, the words starting to register in her brain.

The two girls threw their arms around each other, relieved beyond belief that their scare was over. "Oh thank God," Dawn whispered. They pulled apart, and she remembered her little rant from a minute earlier, feeling sheepish. "Oh wow. I'm sorry. I guess I kind of...freaked out." She laughed suddenly. "Seems pretty stupid now." She clapped a hand to her mouth. "Would it be too much for you to forget you ever saw that?"

Amelia bit her lip to stop from giggling. "Not at all. But can I just ask one question, before we pretend the past five minutes never happened?" She paused. "What was that about killing a cat with a _crossbow_?"

Dawn froze for a second before covering. "Oh, that didn't actually happen...it was just this dream I had once. Wow, I really didn't know what I was saying!" She laughed nervously.

Thankfully, Amelia seemed to buy the pathetic lie. "Okay. So I promise to never speak of your little outburst again."

"Thank you," Dawn said sincerely. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Someday you'll pay me back," Amelia said wisely. She held up the stick that she was still holding. "Garbage, or too risky?"

"Too risky. Here." She quickly gathered the box and paper bag from the store and stuffed the stick in. "I'll throw it away outside." She crumpled the bag in her hand, shaking her head slowly. "Wow. That was...I'm glad that's over."

"Me too," Amelia agreed heartily. She paused, as if debating whether or not to say something. "Are you going to tell Connor?"

Dawn had to think about that for a second. "I don't know," she finally admitted, exhaling loudly. "I mean, I don't want to freak him out or make things weird, but we also promised that we would never keep secrets, especially after everything that happened. I guess we'll just have to see." She glanced around the room, her eyes temporarily landing on her abandoned homework. As focused as she had been merely an hour ago, she couldn't imagine actually getting anything done now. "Hey, what do you say we get out of here? I think I could use some air, just to calm down and try to forget about that," Dawn said.

Amelia shrugged. "Sure. I didn't know what was up when you called so I just told my dad I'd be back sometime tonight."

"Connor's working today, but I'll probably go see him tonight..." Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her. "Ooh, I know _exactly_ what we can do! Come on." She headed for the door, grabbing her purse on the way, the paper bag still in her hand. Amelia followed after her, a little bewildered, but enthusiastic nonetheless. Dawn held open the door for her friend and then locked it from outside. "So, what do you know about interior decorating?" she asked as they headed down the hall.

> > > > >

Late that afternoon Connor stood in the hallway of his new apartment building, balancing a bag of groceries he had picked up under one arm while he fumbled for his key. He turned it in the lock and stepped inside. When he looked up, he almost dropped the bag in shock when he saw that he wasn't alone. Dawn was standing in the middle of the room, beaming, and another girl with blonde hair and glasses stood off to the side. But that wasn't all.

The formerly drab apartment had been transformed into something...almost attractive. It was no longer so dark, there were several more lamps spread around that brightened the room right up. Long blue curtains hung on the windows, and were tied back to the walls. The furniture had been rearranged. The bed was now on the wall closer to the window, and the bureau was in the corner. The end table from the "living room" now sat next to the bed, and housed a framed photograph that he couldn't quite make out with the distance. The microwave was now on a new little shelving unit, with the fridge on the bottom and plenty of empty space for groceries and whatnot. A sharp blue tablecloth covered the table, which had been pulled out further from the wall. In the center, the futon couch had some bright throw pillows on it, and underneath there was an attractive black and blue throw rug. The walls were also no longer so bare. A few small but tasteful art prints were spread out on the walls, and a clock hung above the microwave. It no longer looked bare and empty, but almost...homey.

"So? What do you think?" Dawn asked excitedly, clasping her hands together.

He slowly walked to the table and set the bag of groceries down. "Wow. It's just...how did you do all of this?" He ran his fingers over the tablecloth before going over to examine his new shelves.

"It actually didn't take much. Just a few of the right touches. We actually got a lot of it at yard sales. Amelia really knows her way around Rome," Dawn said, flashing a grin at the other girl. "Oh! And that reminds me, Connor, this is my friend Amelia. Amelia, this is Connor."

Connor walked over to the other girl, shaking her hand. "It's great to meet you. Dawn talks about you all the time."

"No, actually she talks about _you_ all the time," Amelia corrected him with a laugh.

He smiled as he continued to look around. "Wow. I can't believe you did all of this."

"Hey, I wanted to do something nice for you, and we both know this place could use a little TLC," Dawn pointed out cheerfully, clearly pleased with herself.

He picked up the framed photo on the bedside table. It was a picture of the two of them that Dawn had taken herself, so therefore it was pretty closeup. But it really was a good picture. Dawn was grinning right at the camera as she took the picture, but he had been too busy looking at her smile to even notice. So the end result had been him staring at her, captivated as she looked right into the camera lens. He set it down gently. "I love it. Really." He came up behind Dawn and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her cheek. "And I love you."

Amelia cleared her throat awkwardly. "I should probably go," she said, a little awkwardly. "It's getting late, my dad must be wondering where I am by now." She picked up her purse from the floor.

"Okay. You're gonna call a cab?" Dawn asked, moving out of Connor's embrace to walk to her friend.

Amelia nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Connor, it was great to meet you," she said.

"You too. And thank you, thanks for helping Dawn with all of this, and just for being a good friend to her," he added. He felt good knowing that Dawn had this nice girl that she could count on when he wasn't around.

"Yes. _Thank you_," Dawn said meaningfully, her expression somber as she grasped her friend's hands before pulling her into a quick hug. Amelia smiled at her as something unspoken passed between them.

"Good night. I'll call you tomorrow, Dawn," she said as she headed for the door. They both called goodbye as she let herself out.

"She seems nice," Connor commented.

"She really is. I'm so glad I found her," Dawn said. She thought to herself that she didn't know how she would have survived today without Amelia, and knew that she owed her big time. But the best part was, the other girl wouldn't expect anything in return. That was what true friendship was.

"Is something wrong? You looked like you were a million miles away just now," Connor pointed out, rubbing her shoulders.

She thought for a second. "No. Actually, everything's perfect." She leaned back against him and let him wrap his arms around her as she smiled to herself.

> > > > >

TBC!

Please review! Feedback makes the world go 'round!


	21. Chapter 21: I'll Be Home For Christmas

A/N: Wow. I am SO sorry that it has been so long. I don't know what happened. I was out of the country for a while in August, and now I've started my senior year of high school and have to deal with college applications and all that good stuff. I'm sorry for neglecting this story so much. But in an attempt to make up for it, here's my longest chapter yet. I'm trying to move this story along, and I think the end may be in sight. Almost. So, enjoy! And please, if you're still reading this, take a few seconds to drop me a review. It would mean the world.

Chapter 21: I'll Be Home for Christmas

A few months later

December

The rest of their first fall in Rome passed in a mostly-happy blur for Buffy, Dawn, and Connor. Dawn's first term report card turned out excellent, and she found herself to be enjoying school more and more. Connor was still employed at Rome Movers Co., and had been offered a pay raise in late October, which had helped considerably towards paying his own rent. Buffy continued to work at the café and train with Gina on the side. The younger slayer had made excellent progress, and she was now regularly patrolling on her own. Everyone in her life had also noticed the new confidence that came with her new abilities, although still-clueless James had happily chalked it up to good old-fashioned love.

Faith's stay at the apartment had seamlessly lapsed into something more permanent without that ever exactly being said out loud. Although at first Buffy had imagined that her stay would be temporary, she and Dawn quickly grew used to having Faith there. One day, a new couch that folded out into a bed was delivered, and Faith took this as her official invitation to stay. Amelia had also become a somewhat regular feature at the apartment, as she would often come home from school with Dawn to do homework, sometimes staying for dinner on nights she knew her father was working late. There had been a few more close calls with the slaying business almost being revealed in her presence, but so far they had managed to avoid any awkward explanations.

As for Dawn and Connor, at first the transition into not seeing each other as often had proved difficult. But soon they fell into a routine and learned not to waste a second of the time they spent together on weekends. The thing they missed most was not being able to wake up together, since Buffy had proved to be rigid regarding Dawn's curfew. But after he had gotten his raise, Connor had finally bought himself a cell phone, so he could hear her voice whenever he wanted. Now they both enjoyed maxing out on their minutes talking to each other at all hours.

It was a Saturday two weeks before Christmas when Dawn padded into the living room to see Buffy and Faith both hanging over the window ledge, staring at something. Buffy heard her enter and turned around, smiling. "Dawnie, look!" Dawn hurried to the window and peered out, squealing with delight to see the street below blanketed in a layer of pure white snow, which was still falling lazily from the sky. She had only seen snow one time before, Christmas five years ago when the freak storm had hit Sunnydale. And technically, that was one of many memories that had been fabricated and placed into her brain, so this could actually be classified as her first snowstorm.

"It's so beautiful," Dawn said, unable to stop grinning as she stuck a hand out the window, letting the fluffy snowflakes drift over it.

Faith was also smiling as she studied the scene below. "We're definitely not in Sunnydale anymore." The three of them stood there a moment longer, watching as people bundled up in winter coats and scarves trekked through the snow-covered streets. Dawn turned to look at her sister and noticed that she looked like she was a million miles away, a peaceful expression that clearly included a hint of sadness on her face.

"Buffy?" she asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

Her sister seemed to snap out of it, nodding quickly. "I was just thinking about the last time I saw snow." All eyes were on her now, and she blushed slightly. "I was with Angel. But that seems like another lifetime ago now." She turned and walked away from the window, trying to clear her mind of the bittersweet memories. Dawn and Faith exchanged a look. They were both a little worried about Buffy lately.

The phone rang, and Buffy answered it on the second ring. "Hello? Oh my God, Willow! Hey!" Dawn and Faith immediately perked up, turning to look at Buffy. "Oh, we're good! How are you?" She paused, smiling sadly. "I miss you too." There was another longer pause. "Oh, really? That's great...you're flying to LA for Christmas," she repeated, mostly for Faith and Dawn's benefit. Dawn clapped her hands excitedly as her sister grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, jotting something down. She was quiet for a minute as Willow continued on. "Yeah, we will definitely be there. I'll book the tickets as soon as I can." She paused. "I know, I can't wait to see you guys either." They chatted for another minute before saying goodbye.

As Buffy placed the phone back on the receiver, Dawn ran over excitedly. "So, it's final then? We're going to LA for Christmas?"

"Yeah, looks like it. Willow just booked her ticket, and she said she talked to Xander and Giles and they're coming too," Buffy explained.

"One big happy family," Faith said, trying to hide a smile.

"So I just have to get the time off from work. Everyone else is arriving on the 23rd and staying through New Year's. Hopefully I can get that long of a vacation, especially with Gina leaving for the holidays too," Buffy wondered. James was taking Gina back home with him to his hometown in Massachusetts for Christmas. It was a bold move in their relationship, but Gina was thrilled for what would be her first trip to the US. She was also terrified at the prospect of meeting James's family, but Buffy and Dawn had been working overtime to assure her that all she had to do was be herself, and they would love her.

"Well, you're just going to have to tell him you can't work that week. Seriously, would you rather be stuck here serving double lattes to caffeine addicts when you could be back in sunny LA with the gang?" Faith asked with a raised eyebrow.

Buffy nodded. "You're right. I'll just have to tell him I need to take this trip. And Dawn, you should call Connor and tell him to ask for his own time off as soon as possible. I want to book these tickets tomorrow, if we can."

Dawn nodded, practically melting inside at the thought of spending Christmas with Connor and everyone else back at the Hyperion, a place that was so special to both of them. "I will." She linked her arm through her sisters. "This is going to be so perfect. Everyone back together again. It will be just like..."

"This last year of our lives never happened," Buffy finished sadly. It was strange to think that only a year earlier they had all been going about their lives in Sunnydale, unaware that the First was about to turn everything upside down. Now she and her friends were scattered across the planet, and nothing was the same anymore. But this was just what she needed: a nice, normal Christmas with her sister and her friends.

* * *

"What do you mean _no_?" Connor demanded, stunned.

Steve Goldberg looked at him sympathetically from behind his desk, straightening his red and green tie. "I'm sorry, Connor. I simply can't let you take the last week of the year off on such short notice. I'm shorthanded enough already."

"But you don't understand, I have to go to California. My girlfriend and her sister are from there, and we're going back to spend Christmas with everyone," he explained, trying to remain calm.

"I know, and I wish I could let you go. I really do. But I'm a businessman before everything else, and I can't just let this company come to a screeching halt while all my men go home to sing Christmas carols with long-lost relatives," he insisted.

"You're letting James go home," Connor argued.

Steve just stared at him. "James put in for this time off in September. And that's another reason why I can't let you go, you're my only other guy who speaks English, and half our business that week is from tourists spending Christmas here. Believe it or not, some people actually do need moving companies during the holidays." He paused. "Look, I see that you're upset. And of course I can give you Christmas day off to spend with your girl. But a whole week is just out of the question."

Connor closed his eyes. This was not happening. When Dawn had called him earlier, she had been so excited about going back home for Christmas. And how he was about to ruin everything. "What happens if I just go?" he asked boldly.

"Then you might be kicking off 2004 in the unemployment line," he said coolly. "Look, kid, I know it's harsh but I need to put this company first. Next year you just need to ask a little farther in advance, and you'll be all set."

He instantly felt guilty upon hearing that. Truth be told, Dawn had first mentioned the possibility of going to California for Christmas back in September. The thought of asking for time off had crossed his mind, but something inside him had made him hesitate. Frankly, he was a little nervous about spending Christmas with his father. Their relationship was still shaky at best, and he wasn't quite ready to sit around the fireplace and sing Kumbaya with Angel and the Scoobie Gang. But now his stupid reservations were about to ruin Dawn's holiday. "Okay. I guess I understand. But I need to make one condition," he added.

"You name it," his boss said gamely.

"I want a bonus. I'm paying my own rent, and if I'm going to be staying here while Dawn goes home, I'm going to need to get her a really nice gift to make up for it," he bargained.

"I think that can be arranged," Steve said. "And I really am sorry."

"It's alright. I learned my lesson," Connor said, backing away towards the door. "I'd better get back to work." He nodded and exited the office, dread and sadness building as he realized he now had to break the news to Dawn that he would be unable to spend Christmas with her.

* * *

"I'm so sorry," Connor said sincerely. It was Sunday morning, and he had asked Dawn to come over so he could break the news in person. He had just finished relaying his conversation with Steve, and was searching her expression for what she was thinking, but her face was blank.

She blinked a few times. "Well, it's okay. It's not your fault...wow, I can't believe he won't let you go home for Christmas."

Connor shifted uncomfortably. "I'm really sorry Dawn. I know how much this means to you, and believe me, I wanted nothing more than to spend Christmas with you." He took a breath. "But it's okay, we can talk as much as you want, I don't care about the phone bill, and as soon as you get back we can have our own celebration-"

"Hold on. Back up a second. When I get back from where?" Dawn asked, confused.

Now it was Connor's turn to blink. "From Los Angeles."

She shook her head. "I'm not going."

It took him a second to realize what she was saying, but as soon as he did, he immediately protested. "Dawn, no. Of course you're going, you're going to go home to California with Buffy and Faith-"

"I am not going anywhere without you. You're staying in Rome for Christmas, so I am too." She shrugged, as if things were just that simple.

He shook his head, refusing to accept that. "Dawn, come on, you have to go with Buffy, I'll be fine here."

"You mean you won't miss me?" she said, pouting slightly as she gazed up at him, reaching out to take his hand.

He felt himself immediately turning to mush at the sight of her adorable pouty lips. "Of course I'll miss you. I'll miss you like crazy." He stroked her cheek. "But I'm not going to let you be stuck here for Christmas when you could be going home."

"This is my home. My home is with you," she said quietly. It was clear she wasn't open to negotiations.

"But what about Buffy?" Connor reminded her.

Dawn's unwavering stance seemed to falter slightly. "Well, I know she'll be disappointed. And of course I wish we could all spend Christmas together. But Buffy can still go to LA with Faith and see Willow and Giles and everyone. She needs that. I know she'll understand."

Connor stared down at her, amazed. "You'd really drop everything, just like that, to spend Christmas with me?"

She nodded. "You better believe it. Besides, it will be kind of neat to spend Christmas here, just the two of us."

He kissed her, trying to figure out just how he had gotten so lucky. "I love you."

"I love you too." She wrapped her arms around him and they embraced for a minute.

"But I plan to be far away when you break this to your sister," Connor muttered. Although they had been making progress, he still wasn't quite in the clear with Buffy, and now that he was taking her little sister away from her at Christmastime...yeah, that wasn't going to be earning him any Brownie points.

* * *

"Yes, that's right. Four tickets to Los Angeles, round trip, leaving on the 23rd," Buffy recited into the phone. The door to the apartment creaked open and she waved as Dawn entered. "Yes, a layover in New York is fine." She frowned as she saw Dawn holding up her hands and motioning for her to stop. She stared inquisitively, trying to listen as the woman at the airport recited different seating options.

"Buffy, Connor can't go," Dawn said urgently. "He couldn't get the time off of work on such short notice."

Buffy lowered the receiver slightly. "He can't come?" She immediately felt bad for her sister, she knew how disappointed she would be to have to spend Christmas without Connor. She lifted the receiver again. "Excuse me, it looks like we have to change that to three tickets..."

"I'm not going either," Dawn blurted boldly.

Buffy slowly placed a hand over the receiver, turning to face her sister. "Excuse me?"

Dawn took a shallow breath. "I'm not going to Los Angeles. Not without Connor."

"Excuse me for just a second," Buffy said into the phone. She set it down and crossed her arms as she confronted Dawn. "So you're saying that you can't bear to spend a week apart from him? Come on, Dawnie."

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Buffy, I can't leave him here. He doesn't have anyone else, and I can't bear the thought of him spending Christmas all along in that dingy apartment. Please Buffy, try to understand." Her voice wavered a little. "I love him. And I'm so sorry, but I can't come with you. I just can't."

Buffy stood there, not moving as she attempted to process that. A sound emitted from the receiver, and she picked it up again. "Yes, I'm here. Sorry. Actually, I won't be needing those tickets after all, thanks for-"

"Hello, miss? My sister would like to change that to just two tickets to LA," Dawn said, snatching the receiver out of her sister's hand, cradling the phone protectively to prevent Buffy from grabbing it. "Yes, round trip, leaving on the 23rd and returning on the 2nd. Mmhmm." Buffy glared at her helplessly as she read off the number from the credit card next to the phone. "Yes, that sounds perfect. Thank you so much. Happy Holidays to you too." She hung up the phone, triumphant.

"Dawnie, what the hell do you think you're doing? Do you really think I'm going to just hop on a plane and go halfway across the world if you're not coming?" Buffy asked, a little exasperated.

"Yes, that is exactly what you're going to do. I'm not giving you a choice. On December 23rd you and Faith are getting on a plane to Los Angeles, layover in New York, and you are spending Christmas with Angel and Willow and Giles and Xander. And that's final," Dawn said firmly.

Buffy was silent for a long time to the point where Dawn started to get nervous. But finally she responded. "I'm really going to miss you," she said quietly. "Gosh, Dawnie...you're so grown up."

Dawn gave her a half-smile. "I'm sorry. But I just have to do this."

Buffy nodded. "I understand. Well, maybe I'm just saying that to be nice, but I still respect your decision. I think you've earned that." Her face clouded over for a second as something occurred to her. "Angel's going to be really disappointed that Connor isn't coming."

"I know. I feel really bad about that. I still don't think Connor knows how much Angel cares about him," Dawn confessed.

Buffy nodded in agreement. "Gosh, it's going to feel weird leaving you here by yourself while I'm halfway around the world."

"But I won't be by myself," Dawn reminded her. They looked at each other for a moment before embracing tightly.

* * *

The buzz in the air was tangible when the last bell rang on the final day of school before Christmas break. Dawn rushed to her locker, quickly throwing the books she needed in her bag and waving to several of her acquaintances as they passed by. She closed her locker and headed outside, pausing on the steps to wait for Amelia. Less than a minute later her friend came rushing towards her, her cheeks flushed due to a combination of the cold air and the excitement. "We're finally free!" Amelia said with a laugh, pulling her pink mittens on her hands.

"I know!" Dawn said with a smile. She tilted her head as she looked at her friend sadly. "So, I guess this is goodbye for now." Amelia was leaving the following day to go to Switzerland with her father for Christmas. Ever since her mother had passed away her father had been uncomfortable spending Christmas at home, because according to Amelia a lonely holiday spent at home caused both of them to miss her more than ever. So they had fallen into the tradition of splurging on a holiday getaway to some destination in Europe. So in a few days, she would be sipping hot chocolate in a ski lodge while Dawn spent Christmas at home with Connor in the apartment. "Oh, wait! I have your Christmas present." Dawn reached into her bag and pulled out a small red and green gift bag, handing it to her friend.

"I have yours too!" Amelia followed suit, removing a gaily wrapped box from her own bag. They both accepted the gifts and looked at each other. "What do you think, open them now, or wait for Christmas?"

"Now!" they said simultaneously after a moment's consideration. They laughed as they tore into their gifts. Amelia gasped. "Oh, Dawn, this is beautiful!" She held up the amber necklace Dawn had found in one of her favorite little shops to examine it in the light. "I love it!"

"Oh my God, did you make this?" Dawn said, unwrapping her own present to find a beautiful knitted pink scarf.

"Yes, I did! I hope you like it," Amelia said proudly.

"I _love_ it! Thank you so much!" They both reached in and pulled out the second element of their presents, immediately laughing when they saw what it was.

"Great minds think alike!" Dawn said with a grin, holding up the photo of the two of them in a cute pink and green patterned frame.

"I guess they do!" Amelia replied, holding up the same photograph in a silver frame. They hugged each other tightly. By the time they broke apart they noticed that almost everyone else was gone from the school grounds. "Well, I suppose I should get going," Amelia said, carefully placing her gift from Dawn inside her bag. "I'm going to miss you!"

"I'll miss you too. Call me the second you get back to town, and tell your dad merry Christmas for me," Dawn said, gathering her things.

"Tell Buffy and Connor the same for me." They hugged one final time before heading off in their separate directions.

As Dawn walked home, hugging her coat around herself to stay warm, she realized that she and Connor were truly going to be alone this year. Last night she, Connor, and Buffy had accompanied Gina and James to the airport to see them off, all the while trying to reassure a practically shaking Gina that everything was going to be okay, that she would love America and James's family was going to adore her. They wouldn't be returning until after the new year. Now Amelia was leaving in the morning, and in two days time Buffy and Faith would be boarding their own plane to America. _It's going to be nice though, a quiet Christmas with just us. We could definitely use the alone time_. Having uninterrupted time alone with Connor was what she was looking forward to the most, especially since that had been difficult to come by in recent months. But she also worried that it might be a bit...lonely. _I'm going to be here with the man I love in a beautiful city. What more could I ask for?_ she tried to convince herself as she arrived home. But she couldn't shake the lingering sadness that maybe something just wasn't right about this holiday.

* * *

December 23rd

"Do you think she'll be okay? I mean, what if she tries to cook Christmas dinner and sets the place on fire?"

"Relax, B, I think our Dawnie is definitely more of the takeout type."

"Well what if she locks herself out? It's happened before, you know."

"The landlord has a spare key."

"Well what if something goes wrong and I'm not there?" Buffy said desperately, clinging to the armrests of the cramped plane seat and staring around nervously as if looking for a last-minute escape route.

Faith looked up from her airline magazine, exasperated. "Dawnie's a big girl. I think she can manage to avoid a major crisis until you get back."

Buffy relaxed slightly. "I suppose you're right." She rested her head against the back of the seat. "I just feel so weird leaving her."

"You're not leaving her. You were going anyway, she just decided to stay behind," Faith said rationally, propping her feet up against the back of the seat in front of her, causing the businessman occupying the seat to turn around and give her a dirty look which she completely ignored.

The flight attendant came into the aisle to go over the safety procedures, and Buffy shut up for a few minutes. All she caught was something about flotation devices and air masks as she kept picturing Dawn sitting alone in the apartment, the decorated Christmas tree in the corner. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," she said quietly once the flight attendant's spiel was over and they were prepping for takeoff.

"Look, I know you miss her already. I wish she was coming with us, too. But if there's anything I've learned, it's that you can't have everything." Faith regarded her friend over the top of her magazine. "We're going to spend Christmas in sunny LA with the Scoobie Gang. Be happy." A wicked gleam appeared in her eyes. "Hey, if you're lucky you might even catch Angel under the mistletoe."

The plane started moving down the runway as Buffy gave her a look. "You know that we can't," she said simply. One thing that she'd been putting all of her energy towards _not_ thinking about was how she was going to deal with spending another week in a somewhat small space with Angel. Somehow they had managed earlier in the year after the last battle in Sunnydale, but they had both had a lot on their mind. This time it would be calmer, fewer distractions, not to mention the overall romantic mood of the holiday season...she was basically dreading it and looking forward to it at the same time. She remembered the last time they had seen each other, in the airport in Los Angeles, the way he had held her face and kissed her forehead...

"You still love him," Faith stated, her magazine forgotten as she stared intently at her traveling companion.

"God help me, I do," Buffy admitted readily. "And I don't know if I'll ever be able to stop. Or if I'll ever want to."

There was a long pause as the plane lifted into the air. The cabin shook a little from the typical takeoff turbulence, but Buffy barely felt a thing. It must have been five minutes later when Faith spoke up.

"Well I think you don't realize how lucky you are," she said suddenly.

Buffy blinked, turning to look at her, amazed that she was still carrying on the conversation. "I'm lucky? I'm lucky that I get to go spend Christmas so close to the man that I love, but still be so far away because we can never be together?"

"No, you're lucky because even if you can't be with him the way you want, you can still see him and touch him and talk to him. You have more than just memories and one lousy picture. Just be thankful that he's still in your life," Faith said passionately, turning to look out the window.

Buffy looked at her in surprise, taken aback by the sudden expression of emotion. She hesitated before reaching her hand over to touch Faith's shoulder gently. "I'm sorry. You're right. I am lucky that Angel is still in my life. I'm just selfish because I want what I can't have." It felt strange to hear herself admit it out loud, but she knew it was true. Maybe she was looking at things the wrong way. She had some wonderful memories with Angel...painful, but wonderful. And she could still see him. Faith didn't have that. Robin had left her life for good so soon after coming into it, and she had almost nothing left of him.

They were quiet for a minute as they continued along in the air smoothly. The trailer for the in-flight movie came on, as flight attendants tried to sell overpriced headsets to any passengers interested in some kid-directed tale involving a father that transformed into a dog.

"I don't know why I'm even going," Faith said, a little bitterly. "I'm sure that no one there really wants to see me anyway."

"That's not true," Buffy said, unsure if she was lying or not. "You know that Angel will be glad to see you," she managed lamely.

"He won't even notice I'm there next to you," Faith reminded her. Buffy couldn't think of anything to say in protest.

"Faith, things are different now than they were before. I mean, sure there are always going to be old grudges. But you helped us a lot in Sunnydale, and I don't think anyone has forgotten that. They all know that you've...changed. And these past few months have been a fresh start for all of us," Buffy said quietly.

Faith just shrugged, her elbow propped up against the window. "Whatever. But I know that in most of their minds I'm still the psycho bitch who tried to ruin their lives. Heck, even you probably still think that about me."

Buffy frowned. "If that was really what I thought of you, do you think I would have welcomed you into my home, no questions asked?" She paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "Look, Faith, I know we have a past that can never really be forgotten. But I really believe that you've changed. And honestly, it's been kind of nice having you around."

Faith turned to look at her, incredulous. "What is this, the twilight zone?"

"No, it's just me being honest. As weird as it might have been at first, having you staying with Dawn and I has really worked out. And you must have thought it would or else you never would have shown up in the first place," Buffy pointed out.

"Well I suppose I just thought you were the least likely to slam the door in my face," Faith said wryly.

"Well then I guess you were right," Buffy said matter-of-factly. She looked down at her watch, groaning when she realized they wouldn't be landing in New York for seven more hours, and after that they had another 3 hour flight to look forward to. "This is going to be a long trip."

"Tell me about it," Faith said, already sounding bored to tears.

A thought occurred to Buffy, and she glanced nervously at her fellow slayer. "Well, if you want, we could talk to pass the time."

"What about?" she said monotonously.

"Why don't you tell me about him. Tell me about your time in New York. I mean, unless you don't want to," Buffy added.

Faith considered that for a minute. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk about it." She glanced around the cabin before turning to face Buffy, at least as much as her cramped seat would allow, and lowering her voice to an almost furtive tone. "Well, as soon as we landed in New York..."

* * *

December 24th

"Dammit!" Dawn exclaimed. She was currently teetering on a step ladder, trying desperately to hang a swag of mistletoe from the living room ceiling, and the timer on the oven letting her know that her slice and bake Christmas cookies were ready had begun to buzz shrilly. She dejectedly set the mistletoe down, descended from the ladder in a manner so ungraceful that it made her glad she was alone, and bounded over to the oven, removing the tray of cookies and setting it on a potholder to cool. Once that was done, she proceeded back over to the ladder, determined to win the battle this time. Five minutes later, the mistletoe was hung, the whole apartment smelled like fresh cookies, and the lights that Buffy and Faith had hung on the plump Christmas tree in the corner were blinking merrily. She smiled, pleased with herself. Everything was almost ready: the decorations were up, the takeout was staying fresh in the refrigerator, the table was set. She headed into her room to get dressed, excited at the fact that Connor would be arriving in less than an hour for their romantic evening. She peeled off her sweatpants and t-shirt and removed the new outfit she'd bought just for the occasion from the closet. "This is going to be perfect," she said to herself happily. She thought briefly of Buffy and Faith. They would probably be arriving at the hotel any minute now. A pang tugged at her stomach as she thought of her sister, but she forced herself to picture Connor's face instead.

* * *

When the doorbell rang exactly two minutes before he was due to arrive, Dawn grinned excitedly before scanning the room one final time. The candles were lit, Christmas music was softly playing, everything was all set. She smoothed her hair before walking to the door and slowly pulling it open.

"Wow. You look amazing," were the first words out of his mouth as he took in her red satin skirt and black top ensemble. He handed her the bottle of sparkling water he'd brought along, throwing in a kiss for good measure. She closed the door behind him and allowed him to take in her handiwork.

"You did all of this?" he asked her.

"Do you like it?" she said proudly.

"I love it. You're amazing." He walked over to the tree and placed a red gift bag underneath. "For later," he explained.

She walked over to him and leaned against his shoulder. "I was just thinking about last Christmas."

He smiled fondly. "Of course. Us in that apartment in Sunnydale, dancing."

"And saying 'I love you' for the first time," she added softly. "I will never forget that."

"Me neither. And then we fell asleep and when we woke up in the morning you freaked thinking about how mad Buffy would be," he said with a laugh.

She grinned. "I remember. And look at us now, one year later."

"I love you even more," he said sincerely.

She glanced upwards. "Hey, look." He followed her gaze to see the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling right above them.

"Oh, what do you know," he muttered, leaning in to capture her in a knee-weakening kiss. Things quickly escalated as hands began to roam and they enjoyed having some true alone time.

"If we keep this up we're never going to eat," Dawn said breathily.

"This always seems to happen, doesn't it," he commented, kissing her neck.

She slowly pulled back. "Seriously...there's no rush tonight. Let's enjoy some dinner and then we can get to the dessert," she added with a wicked smile.

"I'll be looking forward to it all night," he said deviously.

She gave him a scolding glance over her shoulder as she headed to the kitchen to fetch the food she had carefully ordered. He helped her bring it to the small table she had set up in the living room and covered with a green table cloth. A candle was already burning in the center. Once the food was set out, Connor brought over the bottle of sparkling water and poured two glasses before taking his seat. "I would like to propose a toast," he said formally. Dawn held up her glass. "To us, and to many more Christmases together," he said simply.

"I will definitely drink to that," she said as they clinked their glasses and took a sip.

The dinner turned out perfectly. The homemade Italian food Dawn had ordered from a local restaurant was delicious, and the romantic atmosphere only added to their enjoyment of the meal. When they were done eating, Connor stood, holding out his hand. "Dance with me," he said, more as a gentle command than a question. She happily accepted, following him to the center of the room and leaning into him as they swayed to the music.

_I'll be home for Christmas  
You can count on me  
Please have snow and mistletoe  
And presents on the tree _

Christmas eve will find me  
Where the love light gleams  
I'll be home for Christmas  
If only in my dreams

By the time the song finished they were tangled up in a passionate kiss, and Connor swept Dawn into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

Los Angeles

When Buffy and Faith stepped into the lobby of the Hyperion loaded down with luggage, the first person who came to greet them was Fred, who beamed and clapped her hands together with excitement upon seeing them. "Well look who's here!" she squealed. "Hey y'all, Buffy and Faith are here!"

"_Buffy!_" sounded a familiar voice as Willow ran down the stairs. Buffy nearly melted with happiness upon seeing her redheaded friend, and dropped her bags immediately to catch her in a hug. "You look great!"

"So do you! Oh my God, it's so good to see you again," Buffy said, not wanting to let go of her friend. They hugged again.

"Well if it isn't the Buffster," boomed Xander from behind Willow.

Buffy held her arms out as he wrapped her in a bear hug. "Xander, I missed you so much."

"And what about me?" said the familiar British voice. Buffy started to tear up when she saw her former Watcher standing on the staircase, his glasses in one hand. She went to him wordlessly and they shared a long hug.

Buffy wiped at her eyes, overcome with emotion at being reunited with Willow, Xander, and Giles, the three best friends she had ever had. The four of them just stared at each other meaningfully as they all thought back to their days in Sunnydale, and how different things were now. But there were some things that would never change.

She could feel Angel's presence in the room before she actually saw him. She turned slowly and her eyes found him standing in the doorway of his office, looking right at her. The tidal wave of emotion that she still felt every time she saw him overcame her for only a second before she could make herself walk towards him. "Hi," she said quietly, giving him a small smile.

"Hi yourself," he replied, staring down at her. Although they didn't hug because they knew better, the gaze they shared standing two feet apart was in many ways more intimate than any physical greeting could have been.

Faith cleared her throat from her spot near the door where she was still standing awkwardly. Buffy instantly felt bad and walked back towards her, although not sure what to say. Angel thankfully did. "Hello Faith. It's good to see you again," he said warmly.

Faith nodded at him. "You too."

"Oh my goodness!" squealed a feminine voice from the top of the stairs. Everyone whirled around to see Andrew flying down at top speed. "It's Sunnydale's two favorite slayers!" Before Buffy knew what hit her the geeky blonde had thrown his arms around her and buried his head in her shoulder. "We're all together again, like one big happy family," he said tearily, his voice muffled from the fabric of Buffy's sweater.

Buffy patted his back awkwardly, but although she'd never admit it, she had kind of missed Andrew, annoying as he was. "It's good to see you too, Andrew."

He finally pulled away and started towards Faith, but she was prepared, and simply held up a hand. "I don't hug," she said firmly.

Andrew straightened, nodding importantly. "Of course you don't. Well, in case you all haven't heard, Mr. Giles has taken me under his wing as a new Watcher-in-training. And I am a different man than I was the last time we were here."

Buffy gave him a quick once-over, which confirmed what she'd been thinking: same old Andrew. "Oh really," she said dismissively. She sidled over to Giles, whispering in his ear. "Remind me to give you some kind of award later."

"Oh, it would be well deserved," Giles said with the dry enthusiasm of someone who had been exposed to far too much Andrew in the past six months. Buffy stifled a laugh as she looked around at everyone. Everything was so close to perfect, but one obvious thing was missing. She felt a pang of sadness, but just then Cordelia, Wesley, Lorne, and Gunn emerged and ran over to greet her, and for a second her thoughts were removed from her sister, currently a very large ocean away.

* * *

Rome

"I forgot how nice it is to just be able to lay next to you without worrying about being interrupted," Dawn said happily. The two of them were lying in bed, basking in the afterglow and just enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. The Christmas music was still drifting in from the living room, and overall the atmosphere couldn't have been more romantic.

He stroked lazy circles on her arm. "This feels incredible." They stayed like that for probably ten more minutes, not feeling the need to talk or even move. After a while Connor shifted slightly in order to catch a glance at the clock on the bedside table.

"What's the matter?" Dawn asked lazily.

"Nothing. I'll be right back," he said suddenly. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, reaching for his boxers and pulling them on before padding out into the living room. She sat up, wrapping the sheet around her chest as she waited curiously for his return. After a minute he came back carrying the red gift bag he had placed under the tree earlier.

"I thought we were doing presents in the morning," Dawn said with surprise as he climbed back into bed, sitting next to her.

"Well, I want you to open this one now," he said, handing it to her.

She smiled at him. "What could be so important that it couldn't wait?" she said curiously as she poked through the tissue paper.

"You'll see," he said as she pulled out the long, flat box, enjoying the girlish gleam in her eye that always accompanied opening presents. "I have a feeling you're going to like this one."

* * *

December 25th

Los Angeles

"_Wake up, it's Christmas_!"

Buffy winced as she awoke to the sound of Andrew apparently running up and down the halls of the Hyperion like a little kid. She managed to roll over enough to catch a glimpse of the clock. 6:45 am. _Oh, that's just great._ She turned over onto her stomach with a grunt, burying her face in the pillow. She hadn't woken up this early on Christmas since she and Dawn were kids. _Dawn._ Her mind wandered to her sister, and what she would be doing right now. It was still the middle of the night in Italy, so most likely she was with Connor...she forced herself to abort that thought. Not mental images she needed right now.

To her dismay, the door to her room swung open without so much as a knock and light streamed in from the hallway. "Buffy, wake up!" called another voice. Apparently Xander had joined Andrew in his regression to pre-school age. After pretending to be asleep for a minute, she grudgingly rolled over to look at her friend, who was wearing a Santa hat and grinning like the little boy he still was inside. His excitement proved contagious, and in a record-breaking five minutes, she was up, dressed, and headed downstairs. Almost everyone else was already there, gathering around the Christmas tree in the lobby as Fred handed out coffee to everyone.

"Merry Christmas, Buffy!" Willow called happily from her seat next to Giles, who was still in his pajamas.

"Merry...I mean, Happy belated Hannukah," Buffy corrected herself. It was amazing that after all these years she could still almost forget that her friend was Jewish.

"Wow, you're up. I'm impressed," Angel said quietly. He held out a cup of coffee to her, which she graciously accepted. When she went to take the mug from his grasp, their fingers brushed, causing an electric tingle to pass through her whole body. She could tell from the look on his face that he had felt it too. "Merry Christmas," he said after a moment.

"You too," Buffy replied. They smiled at each other.

"It _caaaaame upon the midniiight cleear," _Lorne bellowed as he walked in from outside, his arms held out as he filled the room with his trademark voice. He was wearing a neon red suit and a green tie that somehow managed to avoid clashing with his skin. "Good morning sugarplums! It's Christmas!"

While everyone was watching Lorne Buffy noticed Faith descending the stairs quietly, looking almost hesitant to join the festivities. Buffy caught her eye and waved her down encouragingly.

"Presents for everyone!" Cordelia called out, emerging from the office with a sack reminiscent of Santa Claus himself. Christmas music was now blasting from somewhere, and the room had become pretty loud with excitement and conversation. Buffy chose to stay back on the edges of the scene with Angel, watching the people she loved, with one significant exception, basking in the joy of Christmas.

"I wish they were here too," Angel said, reading her mind. She looked up at him and their eyes met with understanding. Then she felt his hand close over her free one and she squeezed tightly.

"Okay, who wants to go first," Cordelia called out as she finished distributing gifts. She handed one each to Buffy and Angel, who reluctantly broke their touch to accept them, as well as to Faith, who stared at it as if she'd never seen a present before in her life before surprising Cordy with a genuine smile that she somehow managed to return. Buffy smiled herself at the exchange.

"Well, maybe you should wait for everyone before you start opening them."

Everyone froze and spun towards the sound of the new voice. Buffy's jaw dropped when she saw Dawn and Connor standing in the doorway, hand in hand and with suitcases at their feet. The previously loud room had suddenly grown so quiet you could hear a pin drop as everyone stared at the unexpected visitors.

"Dawnie? Connor? W-what are you doing here?" Buffy finally managed to say, shocked.

"We're coming home for Christmas," Dawn said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold and she looked absolutely radiant as she beamed at everyone.

Buffy quickly ran across the room and threw her arms around her sister. "But how? I thought your boss wouldn't let you..." she asked over her sister's shoulder.

"Well, technically he wouldn't. But I decided that there are more important things than work," Connor said, his eyes finding Angel.

Dawn pulled back, grasping her sister's shoulders. "Buffy, Connor planned all of this. He surprised me with the tickets last night. We left on the last flight out and just got here." She turned to stare lovingly at her boyfriend. "This was his Christmas present to me."

Buffy looked at Connor with a whole new respect. "Thank you. Thank you for bringing my sister to me."

"The look on her face when we got here was all the thanks I needed," he said honestly.

Angel had crossed the room and was standing next to him. "Merry Christmas, Connor. I'm so glad you decided to come."

Connor looked at him for a minute. "Yeah. Me too." He surprised everyone by smiling a little.

Cordelia approached and Connor hugged her tightly. "I can't believe you're here!" she said happily.

Buffy still hadn't let go of Dawn, her arm firmly around her little sister's waist. "_Now_ everything's perfect," she declared to no one in particular. Willow, Xander, and the others were waiting patiently to greet Dawn, so she reluctantly let go, standing back while Dawn exchanged excited words and hugs with everyone. Through the excitement, her eyes found Angel's as he watched his son and she her sister, and for a minute, everything was just as it was meant to be.

* * *

TBC! 


	22. Chapter 22: Gifts, Games, and Moments

A/N: To follow.

Chapter 22: Gifts, Games, and Moments of Weakness

"You go first," Connor insisted, handing Dawn a medium-sized, nicely wrapped box. She didn't protest, unable to hide her excited grin as she accepted her present.

She gives it a playful shake, holding it close to her ear. "Hmm, what is this?" she says with a smile, tearing into the paper. After spending the entire morning catching up with the Angel Investigations crew as well as Willow, Xander, and Giles, Dawn and Connor had finally snuck up to one of the bedrooms to exchange their gifts for each other in private.

She removed a plain white box from the wrapping paper, glancing curiously at her boyfriend before lifting the lid. After peeling back the white tissue paper, she saw that the box held two tickets.

"Oh my God, you got us tickets to the opera in Italy?" she squealed, examining the tickets. "Connor, this is amazing."

"Do you like it? I just thought we could have a nice night out together," Connor said nervously.

"I _love_ it. But Connor...you already gave me my present. You put your job on the line to bring me to my sister for Christmas. That was the best present that I ever could have asked for. And I know it wasn't cheap," she said, suddenly feeling guilty.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "Don't even think about the money. You come first in my life. And besides, I got the opera tickets a while ago, before I even knew that Steve wasn't going to let me leave for Christmas."

She just stared at him, unsure of what to say. "Connor, I'm not saying that I don't appreciate this. I mean, I do. But if you're doing this because you feel like you need to, I don't know, prove something or make something up to me, you're wrong."

"It doesn't have anything to do with that," he said quietly. "You just deserve everything I could possibly give you. And besides, the smile on your face when I told you we were coming here for Christmas made it all worth it."

She couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're all I need. This, right here, just spending today with the people we care about. I couldn't be happier than I am right now."

"And when you're happy, I'm happy," he finished.

"Also, I think you earned some major points with my sister today," Dawn said with a laugh. "We gave her the best Christmas surprise ever and it was all thanks to you."

Connor looked pleased. "Well I guess it worked out for everyone then."

"Do you think Steve understands?" Dawn blurted. "I mean, exactly what did he say when you told him you were leaving against his orders?"

Connor shrugged. "At first he seemed a little pissed. But once he realized I was serious, I think he saw there was nothing he could do to change my mind. He had no right to tell me what I could or couldn't do for the holidays."

Dawn nodded. "I just hope that he doesn't..."

"What? Fire me?" Connor rolled his eyes. "If he does, there are always other jobs. If I've learned anything this year it's that there's more important things."

Dawn smiled at him. "Oh, you still have to open your gift." She reached over and handed him a square-shaped box with a red bow on top. "It's kind of silly, really, it's not as nice as what you gave me..."

He carefully unwrapped the box, pulling the lid off. As he reached inside, Dawn launched into an explanation of the gift. "That day when we went to the bookstore with the books in English I saw you looking at some of the classics. So I went back there and got you a few. I figured that you'd probably never really gotten a chance to read them growing up..."

Connor thumbed through a copy of _The Great Gatsby_ before pulling out _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ and several others. "Wow, this is really great." Reading the great classic novels was something he had missed out on growing up in another dimension and not attending school, and the thought that Dawn had put into this gift really impressed him. "Thank you so much. I love it." He leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"You're welcome," she said in between kisses. Things quickly escalated and soon she was being pushed back onto the bed, giggling as he crawled on top of her. The moment was interrupted when someone knocked on the half-closed door. They instinctively scrambled away from each other, looking up to see Angel standing in the hallway, looking sufficiently embarrassed.

"Um, uh...sorry. But it's time for dinner," he said awkwardly.

Dawn smiled. "We'll be right down." Angel nodded, not wasting any time hurrying back downstairs.

"Well I'm just glad we got our alone time in before we got on the plane," Connor muttered knowingly. Dawn nodded in agreement as they headed downstairs, hand in hand.

* * *

"Okay," Cordelia said, drawing out the suspense as she rolled the die around in her hands. "Ready...go!" She threw the multi-sided die across the floor of the Hyperion as Fred pressed the start button on the timer. Everyone scrambled to see the result: the letter "O".

"_O_? What starts with O?" Buffy complained loudly. The teams quickly bent over their sheets, whispering back and forth furiously. They were now on the fourth and final round of their heated game of Christmas Scattergories, and even those who had been skeptical at first were now very engrossed in the game.

"Name of a Christmas song. Easy, O Holy Night," Faith muttered to Andrew, her partner, as he furiously scribbled the answer on the sheet.

"Things mentioned in a Christmas song," Xander read off, staring expectantly at Willow, who held up her hands.

"Hey, don't keep looking at me, I'm Jewish! You're the one who should know this stuff," she hissed.

"No, no, don't put that, everyone will have that," Giles said with frustration snatching the paper away from Wesley as they debated over the best answer to a category.

While most of the teams bickered loudly, Dawn and Connor worked quickly and quietly, hunched over their sheet together. "Best thing about Christmas...opening presents," Dawn said quietly, scribbling the answer down.

"Worst gift to receive," Angel read aloud. His partner was Buffy. Neither of them had intended for it to happen, but everyone had ironically paired off so quickly that the two of them were left over before they could do anything about it, and Buffy had a strange suspicion that had not been a coincidence. The two of them were the farthest apart of all the pairs, due to a conscious effort on both of their parts to stay as far away as they could get away with.

"Oatmeal," Buffy blurted. Angel raised an eyebrow. "Hey, would you like it if someone gave _you_ oatmeal?" she said defensively. Chuckling, Angel wrote it down. If he had learned nothing in his two hundred and forty plus years, it was that arguing with Buffy Summers when she had her mind made up was a fruitless task.

The ticking on the timer grew louder and everyone frantically hurried to fill in as many categories as they could. "Time's up!" Cordelia announced as the timer went off. Everyone muttered and groaned a little as they put down their pencils.

"Okay, first category: name of a Christmas song," Fred called out. "Cordy and I put O Christmas Tree."

"Us too," Xander announced, crossing it off on their score sheet. The trickiest part of the game was that if another team had the same answer as you, it was disqualified.

"Yeah, same here," Buffy added.

"We had O Holy Night," Andrew said hopefully.

"Dammit," Giles muttered to himself as Wesley scribbled on their sheet.

"So did we," Dawn said with a sigh.

"Anyone have something else?" Cordy asked.

"_Oooh cooooome all ye faaaaiiiiitthfullll,"_ Lorne belted in response, exchanging high-fives with Gunn as they marked a plus one on their sheet.

"Okay, things mentioned in a Christmas song: a one-horse open sleigh," Dawn announced, glancing around at everyone.

"How about Frosty's _old_ silk hat," Willow chimed in. The game continued for a while until they reached the last category.

"Worst gift to receive. Any takers?" Cordy asked.

"Oatmeal!" Buffy shouted out. Everyone started to laugh. "What? It works!" she said defensively.

"How about _old_ underwear?" Connor said with a laugh.

"Oven mitt!" Giles added.

"Okay, everyone hand their sheets in," Fred announced. Everyone waited in suspense as she and Cordy tallied up the points. So, it looks like the winner is...Gunn and Lorne!"

"_Weee are the champioooons_," Lorne sang triumphantly as everyone clapped.

"Well, that was fun," Connor said to Dawn with a laugh. "It's funny how wrapped up everyone can get in a silly game."

Dawn yawned in response. "I think the excitement can no longer overcome the effects of jet lag," she said tiredly.

He rubbed her shoulders. "Yeah, I'm pretty beat too. We should go to bed."

Dawn nodded. "That sounds great." She headed over to where her sister was standing, talking to Willow and Xander. "Hey, I think we're gonna turn in. We're still pretty beat from the flight."

"I'm sure you are. Come here." Buffy pulled her sister into an extra-tight hug. "Thank you so much for coming. You made my Christmas."

Dawn clung to her sister. "I love you."

When they broke apart, Buffy took a step towards Connor. "And thank you. What you did was really generous."

Connor smiled. "You're welcome."

"Good night everyone!" Dawn called out. A chorus of 'good nights' sounded out as she and Connor headed up the stairs.

"I so hate this separate rooms thing," Connor complained quietly. "Seriously, why do they always insist on that? I mean, it's not like we haven't..."

"It's because Buffy would feel like a bad sister if she openly encouraged it. And Angel would feel like a bad father. So I think we should just humor them." They stopped outside their rooms.

Connor studied her expression. "So, you're going to grab your stuff and sneak into my room before anyone comes upstairs?"

Dawn nodded earnestly. "I'll be there in five minutes." She laughed wickedly as she gave him a quick peck before they scurried into their respective rooms.

* * *

The hotel was dark as Buffy emerged from her room, wrapping her blue robe around her as tight as she could. She walked slowly down the hall in her slippers, past the rooms where her friends were quietly sleeping. She paused outside the room that was supposed to be occupied by her sister. When she had come up to go to sleep a few hours earlier she had stopped by to say good night one more time, only to find that her sister's room was empty. She couldn't say she had been surprised, and honestly, after everything Dawn and Connor had done in order to be here today, she hadn't had the heart to rain on their parade, as much as the thought still unsettled her sometimes.

She paused by the stairs, noticing a light on in the office downstairs. Descending the steps carefully in the dark, she wandered to the office, pausing in the doorway when she saw, unsurprised, that Angel was the only one awake at this hour besides herself. He looked up from his book when he saw her, marking his place and setting it down on the desk. "Buffy," he said. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," she admitted. "Thought I'd see if anyone else was awake."

He smirked. "Well, you know me. Not exactly used to sleeping at night."

She nodded. She knew, of course, all too well. "You like to hang out down here at night?" She wandered around the office, examining the various ancient books and rustic weapons that adorned the shelves.

"No, I usually just stay in my room, but, um, it's right next door to the one Connor's staying in, and I didn't really feel...comfortable staying there with my uh, enhanced hearing," he said awkwardly.

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Ah. I don't blame you."

"You can't say they're not crazy about each other," Angel commented quietly.

She nodded, sinking into the chair opposite the desk. "They've been through a lot, and somehow they managed to come out even stronger. But it gets a little annoying how they can't keep their hands off each other." Her mind flashed back to the long-ago days when she and Angel had been the same way. All of those late night patrols turned makeout sessions almost felt like foreign memories now, as if they had happened to someone else. She caught his eye and she could tell that he had been thinking about the exact same thing.

"Today was nice," she said, eager to change the subject. "It was nice to have a holiday free of demons and drama."

"Well, unless you call Giles and Wesley's constant bickering during Scattergories drama, I agree," he said with a smile. She smiled back. A long silence followed during which they just enjoyed each other's company, each wanting to say a million different things but choosing to let them go unsaid.

"So how do you like Rome?" Angel asked finally, needing to say something.

"It's nice. I feel like I'm finally getting used to it now." Buffy paused. "But it does get a little lonely sometimes. Being so far away from home."

Angel stared at her curiously. "I thought that with Dawn there..."

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes I feel like I don't see her very much, you know? Between me working and her going to school and spending so much of her free time with Connor and her friends, the apartment is usually pretty quiet." A smile spread across her face. "Or at least, it was before Faith moved in."

"She seems good. Faith," Angel commented. "Definitely more subdued than before, but she seems like she's doing well."

Buffy nodded. "I know she's still in pain. Losing Robin was a major blow for her, even though she'd never tell you that. But I have to admit, it's kind of nice having her around."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "Now there's something I never thought I'd hear."

"I know, when she first showed up I had serious doubts about the whole thing. But we've all adjusted. And for some reason she gets along great with Dawn," Buffy said. She still didn't quite understand when exactly her sister and her former enemy had gotten so close, but whatever. It was better than if they were fighting all the time.

Angel nodded. "Well maybe after Dawn finishes high school you can move back here."

"It's a possibility. She's applying to some colleges in Rome and California. So I guess we'll see what happens. None of us have really thought that far ahead."

Angel looked down for a second. There was something he had been wanting to ask Buffy ever since she had arrived, but he had so far been unable to work up the nerve. "So I know you said Dawn has made some friends. How about you? Anyone...special?"

Buffy blinked at him. "Are you asking me if I have a boyfriend?"

"N-no, I was just, you know, wondering-"

"I know what you were wondering." She stared at him curiously. "No. I don't."

It may have been her imagination, but she thought she could see him relax a little. "Oh, well, that's good, I guess. I mean, if it's what you want."

"What are we doing?" Buffy whispered, suddenly feeling a little warm.

Angel looked down at his desk. "I don't know. I mean, I just...you know that I just want you to be happy."

She closed her eyes for a second. "I'm trying. I'm trying so hard. I mean, after everything that happened since I moved to Sunnydale...I thought that moving would be a fresh start." She looked at him. "But I keep ending up back here." Something had changed in the room as the conversation shifted. An almost electrical buzz from pent-up feelings and desires had formed, and they were both feeling the effects. Dangerous thoughts started to run through Buffy's mind, and she instinctively stood, turning for the door. "I should really-"

A hand landed on her arm, and she spun around to see him suddenly standing behind her, only inches away, his fingers wrapped around her wrist as he stared into her eyes. Before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her, and she was kissing him back. She grasped his shoulders as he ran a hand through her hair, the other on the small of her back. Somehow all rational thoughts had flown out the window, and Buffy couldn't remember thinking anything at all as she found herself being lifted onto the desk as he continued to kiss her, hands starting to roam to forbidden places as they lost themselves in each other.

As she felt his hand touch her bare skin underneath her pajama top, her first coherent thought in at least a minute came into her awareness: _No._

"Angel," she breathed, pulling back from his lips. "We can't do this."

He stepped back, looking so frustrated that it almost frightened her. "Buffy, I-I don't know what I was thinking-"

"It wasn't just you," she said quietly, straightening her clothes as she moved off the desk. She could feel the tears coming, but she refused to let him see her cry. She had no excuse to cry. They had been apart for years, they knew all too well that they could never be together the way both of them wanted, and yet all it had taken was one mutual moment of weakness for them to come very close to crossing lines that had been drawn for so long. "I've got to go." She hurried from the office before he could stop her.

"Buffy, wait!" he called after her. She didn't turn around. He ran out of the office and into the lobby, watching her practically run up the stairs. "Buffy!" he yelled, not caring if he woke up the entire hotel. But she was gone. He turned and stormed back into the office, cursing as he grabbed the chair she had been sitting in and threw it on it's side in an outburst of frustration.

Upstairs, Buffy ran into her room, closing and locking the door behind her before sinking down to the ground. What on Earth had just happened? She and Angel hadn't lost control like that, hadn't come so dangerously close to doing something they would both regret in well...ever. She couldn't believe she had let that happen. She buried her head in her hands and leaned back against the door.

But it had it felt good to be kissing him again, his hands...

"Stop it," she said aloud, standing up and walking over to her bed. "It can't happen again. I don't care how lonely you are." It occurred to her that she was talking to herself in a dark hotel room in the middle of the night on Christmas. "Merry Christmas, Buffy," she muttered to herself, pulling the covers over her head.

* * *

A/N: I experienced some pretty intense writer's block while writing this chapter, so hopefully it turned out okay. I really think that part of the reason I've been struggling a little with this fic as of late is the disappointing lack of reviews. It's really discouraging when you post a chapter and see that although 77 people have viewed it, only ONE took the time to review. I mean, come on guys. You can do better than that. A quick note is all I ask. Just take a minute of your time and let me know what you think and if you're still enjoying this story. Please.

And I completely blame the whole Scattergories thing on my writer's block. I played that Christmas version at my friend's party recently and I decided to just go with it. :P


	23. Chapter 23: Making Up For Lost Years

Chapter 23: Making Up For Lost Years

The next morning Dawn and Connor headed downstairs hand in hand, whispering happily to each other. They had taken their time getting up and they weren't surprised to find almost everyone else congregated already in the hotel lobby. "Good morning," Dawn sang out.

Angel glanced up from behind the counter. "Good morning. There's donuts." He gestured to several opened bakery boxes before returning to his newspaper.

As they helped themselves to the donuts, Dawn realized that apparently she and Connor were not the last ones up. "Is Buffy up yet?" she asked Angel curiously.

A strange expression crossed his face so quickly that she was unsure if she imagined it. "Um, I don't know. Haven't seen her. I wouldn't know. Why?" he said, his voice slightly higher pitched than usual.

Dawn looked at him oddly. "I was just wondering." She selected a donut, placed it on a paper plate, and headed over to sit with Willow and Fred on the couch.

A few minutes later Buffy finally descended the stairs, her lack of sleep the night before almost hidden by a generous amount of under-eye concealer. A furtive scan of the room located Angel buried in a newspaper, and she became determined to look anywhere but at him. She felt herself flush from the mere thought of what had happened last night, and her skin prickled at the thought of getting close to him again. _No, Buffy. You need to stay away from Angel. _She spotted the coffee maker calling her like a beacon of heaven and she made a beeline. Unfortunately, Angel chose that moment to finish his paper and head over to the same area. He froze mid-step when he saw her, avoiding her eyes. "Uh, good morning," he said awkwardly, hating himself for the numerous bad thoughts running through his head.

"Morning," she said quietly. She stared blankly at the coffee maker, her brain not wanting to function. _A cup. I need a cup._ Seeming to read her mind, Angel grabbed one from a shelf and held it out to her. She attempted to grab it from him without touching his hand, but she slipped and a finger brushed his as she tried to grab the handle. They both pulled back as if on fire and the mug promptly dropped to the floor and shattered.

Dawn spun around at the crash, frowning when she saw her harassed-looking sister and Angel standing awkwardly with a broken coffee mug between them. "Buffy? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes! I'm fine, just fine," her sister said with excessive perkiness.

Connor, who had been watching the entire exchange with interest, stepped in. "I'll clean that up." He grabbed a plate from the counter and began to gather the broken shards on it.

"Thanks, son," Angel said absently. His eyes met Buffy's for a fleeting second before he muttered something excusing himself and retreated into the office with lightning speed. Buffy just stood there stupidly for a second before locating another mug.

As Connor headed for the garbage can, he glanced at Dawn. She gave him a look that clearly said 'what was _that_ all about'? He just shrugged, as clueless as she was.

Buffy managed to make a cup of coffee without event and she was about to sneak back upstairs when Dawn apprehended her. "Okay, spill. What is going on with you and Angel?" her sister demanded, a finger checking the corners of her lips for remnants of her Boston Kreme.

"Nothing. What would be going on?" she said, feigning innocence.

Dawn just gave her a look. "Come on, Buffy. I'm not blind, something has you two totally on edge. What happened?"

Buffy appeared to think for a second, glancing furtively over her shoulder to make sure no one was within earshot. "Okay, we did something really, _really_ stupid, that's what happened."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "Wait a second...you didn't...is he..."

"No, no, not _that_." _Although if things had continued a little farther, who knows_. "It was just...I couldn't sleep last night. I came down here, and Angel was up, too. We started talking and then somehow..." Buffy winced. "We ended up kissing, and we got a little carried away. And I stopped myself before things could get...you know, but now I just can't even look at him without thinking about it."

Dawn stared at her sister sympathetically. "Well, you can't really blame yourself, it was just a one time thing-"

"But that's the thing, we don't lose control like that. We _can't._ I don't know what came over me, but all of a sudden I was on his desk and there were...hands, and it was bad, Dawnie, very bad," she hissed.

Her little sister's eyes widened slightly. "Why do you think it happened? I mean, you guys have been so good about, you know, controlling yourselves. What made last night different?"

Buffy shifted uncomfortably. She knew the answer. She was lonely. She had been lonelier this past year than ever before, and it had all caught up to her at once. But it also had not been just her. It takes two to tango, and Angel had been even more lost in the moment than she was. "I don't know. I think we were just tired, and not thinking clearly, and it just kind of happened." She ran a hand through her hair. "But what am I supposed to do now? I can't exactly avoid him for the next week."

"Maybe you guys should talk about it," Dawn suggested. "It's better to just get everything out in the open so it's not all awkward."

"What am I supposed to say?" Buffy shook her head. "You know what, I can't think about this right now. Willow said something about going shopping today. Do you want to come?"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't think so. I was planning to spend the day with Connor, if that's okay."

Buffy nodded. "Okay. You guys can do your thing, and maybe we can all meet for dinner later or something."

"That would be good," Dawn said. She reached out and gave her sister an impromptu hug. "I love you."

"I love you too." Buffy smiled tiredly before turning to head up the stairs.

Dawn looked around the lobby, locating Connor talking to Cordy. She walked over to them, weaving her hand through his. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to talk to Connor about our plans for today."

"Plans? We have plans?" Connor asked, a little surprised.

Dawn smiled coyly. "Well, after you planned the mother of all surprises for me, I thought that maybe you could let me be in charge today and surprise you for a change."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really. Well, I suppose I could agree to that. What kind of surprise is it?"

"I can't tell you, silly. That would completely defeat the purpose of a surprise. And besides, I'm still working out the details," she admitted.

"Oh, so you don't even have it planned yet?"

"Don't you worry. I promise it will be good. Just get ready, and meet me by the door in ten." She stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss before hurrying off.

* * *

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"No, not yet." Dawn held his hand, guiding him cautiously inside the building. She glanced around quickly before turning back to him. "Okay, now."

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times at what he saw. "We're...what is this place?"

Dawn couldn't help but giggle. "It's a bowling alley!"

The dimly lit, long building had racks of bowling balls along the wall, and a big neon sign directing people to the shoe rental. The lanes were all lit up with glow-in-the-dark paintings on the ceiling. With the exception of a few groups of people bowling on the end closest to them, it was nearly empty.

Connor tried to hide a smile. "Um, it smells like feet and stale popcorn."

Dawn smacked him on the arm. "That's part of the experience! I was just thinking about something we could do that maybe you never got the chance to do before. You know, since you kind of missed out on the whole normal upbringing thing. And this is what I came up with! It's like a right of passage, you rent the sketchy shoes, throw some gutter balls, and eat some greasy food."

"Well, you're right in that I've never done this before," he admitted, eyeing the place warily. "But...I have to admit, I was expecting something a little more romantic."

She rolled her eyes. "Well excuse me for not being as crazy as you and flying you across the planet. But I had this idea that maybe we could make it a point to start doing all the normal, taken-for-granted things that you never got to do before. I want to start making up for everything you missed out on when you were a kid."

He smiled at her. "That's really sweet of you." He thought for a second. "And if I'm going to put some sweaty shoes on my feet, there's no one I'd rather do it with."

She beamed, relieved that he had come around to the idea. "Okay!" Well let's go then. She grabbed his hand and he just stared at her in awe, wondering for the millionth time what he had done to deserve her.

* * *

"Okay, just like that. Now you pull it back, and...ohhhhh." Dawn winced as Connor threw his fourth gutter ball in a row.

His eyes flashed with frustration as he spun around on the slick, tiled floor. "I suck. I can't do it."

"Yes you can. You're just not trying hard enough," Dawn said gently. She lifted her purple 8-pound ball from the track. "Just watch me again." She had never thought of herself as even an above-average bowler, but next to her boyfriend she looked worthy of the World Championships. "Okay, so you just get your balance, take a few steps, swing your arm straight back..." He tilted his head to the side, watching her butt appreciatively as she bent down to release the ball. When she turned around she caught him, and her eyes narrowed. "You little jerk, that's why you don't get it, every time I try to demonstrate you just stare at my ass!" She started to run towards him, probably to smack him on the arm, but the slick soles of the bowling shoes caused her to lose her footing. Her feet went out from under her and she started to shriek just as his arms closed around her waist, holding her just inches above the ground. Before she realized what was happening, he bent down, pulling her whole body flush against his as he caught her in a dizzying kiss. After a long moment he lifted her upright onto her feet, his hands creeping down from the small of her back. Their lips broke apart and she closed her eyes, never able to get enough of him. When she opened them she noticed an older couple selecting bowling balls giving them a disapproving look. Dawn reluctantly pulled back from Connor's embrace. "I think we're drawing attention to ourselves," she said quietly, moving to sit down in the small plastic chair behind the screen that displayed their scores. "Your turn. Now try to remember the way I showed you."

Marveling at her ability to change gears so quickly, he tried to pull himself together as he hefted his ball and headed toward the lane. Without over-thinking it, he released it smoothly down the center of the lane, knocking down all the pins. He turned to face his girlfriend with a smug smile. "Oh my God, you got a strike!" she said with surprise.

"There's hope for me yet," he said lightly, rubbing her shoulders from behind, a smug smile on his face as the flashing red X appeared on the screen to signify his accomplishment. "Now let's see you top that."

"Oh, now it's _on_," she said, her eyes flashing with competition as she flexed her hands, up to the challenge. With a little extra swing in her step she gathered her ball and approached the lane, glancing over her shoulder to wink at him before setting up her swing, flipping her long brown hair behind her back with a casual toss of her head. Eyes straight ahead, she swung the ball back, only to have it slip from her hands and bounce loudly once before heading straight to the gutter. She blushed as she headed back towards him. "That was just a warmup!"

"Well, even if you did throw the worst shot ever, you looked pretty," he said with a smirk. She narrowed her eyes at him in a playful glare, grabbing her ball once more and heading to the lane. This time she managed to knock down 6 pins. "Not bad, not bad," he said critically.

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry mister, but just because you got lucky one time doesn't mean that you're the expert all of a sudden."

"We'll just have to see about that," he said, his turn up again. He missed two pins this time, but managed to get them on the second shot for a spare.

"Okay, so maybe you have a little natural talent. But that doesn't explain your four straight gutter balls in the beginning," she countered, readying for her turn.

Connor ends up winning the first game, but Dawn comes back to win the second. Watching her gleefully celebrate her victory, he smiles to himself as he thinks about the poor shot he threw on purpose to allow her to win. In this case, the smile on her face justified the means. "So, what's next?"

"Oh, we still have one more thing to do from my list," Dawn said as she peeled off her shoes.

"The list of things I've never done," he clarified.

"Yup! And I have a feeling you're going to like this one." She grabbed his hand, pulling him after her as she darted up the steps to return their shoes.

* * *

"Oh, this weather is perfect," Dawn said happily. She stood on the quiet beach, gazing out over the ocean as the light breeze blew her hair back: perfect conditions for the task at hand. There were only a few other people on the beach and all of them were either walking or jogging. Even though sixty degrees was very warm for December 26th, it was still nowhere near warm enough for swimming. But that wasn't what Dawn had in mind. She turned to face Connor, holding the kite out to him. "Okay, are you ready to fly this thing?"

Connor eyed the bright, multi-colored kite they had purchased in a souvenir shop a few minutes earlier warily, as if it were a demon from another dimension. "And what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"It's easy. You're just going to hold the string and run with the kite behind you until it gets lifted by the wind." Dawn leaned down to roll up the bottoms of her jeans so they didn't get dirty in the sand, her shoes already thrown aside. She handed Connor the roll of spool of string she had attached to the new kite a few minutes earlier.

"What if it doesn't go up?" he asked nervously.

"It will. You just have to have a little faith. Okay, now go." She gave him a gentle push. "Here, I'll hold it until you get going a little, then I'll let it go." She took the kite in both hands.

He took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes nothing." He began to jog slowly down the beach, feeling a little foolish. He was practically an adult man, and here he was on the beach in the middle of winter attempting to fly a kite for the first time. He released a little bit of string as he ran, finally glancing over his shoulder. "Do it now!" he yelled. Dawn stood on her tiptoes and tossed the kite into the air. The wind took it and it lifted! Dawn shrieked with delight.

"Keep running and let out some more string!" she yelled to him excitedly. He followed her instructions, running several more yards before he stopped and turned around, feeling the resistance in the line as the kite soared. Dawn jogged down the beach to meet him, grinning from ear to ear. "See, that wasn't so bad," she said, speaking loudly over the crashing of the waves. He grinned at her, watching as the kite flew high above. It must have been a hundred feet off the ground. He noticed several of the passerby stopping to admire their efforts and felt a sudden rush of pride.

"Come here," he said, gesturing to her with his head. Careful not to release the spool, he lifted an arm around her so she was in front of him, and gently placed her hands on the handles, folding his own over them. For a few minutes they just stood there, enjoying the ocean breeze, the sand between their toes, and the feeling of the their bodies against each other as she gently leaned her head on his shoulder. Dawn closed her eyes, never wanting the moment to end.

"Um, Dawn?" he finally said, after some time had passed. "My foot's falling asleep. You think we can bring this thing in now?"

She giggled. "Sure. Just wind it in slowly, and I'll go catch it." She gave him a quick peck on the lips before walking in the direction of the kite. He carefully wound the string back around the spool, watching as the kite grew larger, coming back down to earth. After several minutes of this it finally came low enough for Dawn to grab it, and he walked towards her, wrapping up the remainder of the string.

"Thank you," he said when he finally reached her. "Thank you for today."

"You're welcome," she said quietly. She smiled coyly. "Let me guess- you liked the kite flying better than bowling?"

He laughed. "Well, yes. But I really did enjoy both, especially because I got to do them with you." He placed his hand at the base of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. When they broke apart he looked over her shoulder and noticed that it was beginning to get dark out, and the sky glowed orange, warning of the imminent sunset. "It'll be dark out soon. We should probably think about heading back," he said regretfully.

She nodded. "That's a good idea." Not wanting the day to end, she glanced around for anything to postpone the moment a few seconds longer. "Hey, what do you say we just walk on the beach for a little while? There's still a few minutes before sunset."

He nodded, taking her hand and heading down the beach, the kite folded under his arm. She rested her head on his shoulder once more as they strolled along, their strides perfectly in sync, with nothing but the rolling expanse of sand and waves before them.

* * *

A/N: Once again, my apologies for the long delay between updates. I know these last few chapters have probably seemed like filler, but hopefully you're enjoying them nonetheless. But fear not, I have a plan to restore some drama to the plot as this story approaches its final stretch. :) As always...reviews make me write faster! Please just take a minute of your time to let me know what you think, it isn't difficult and it really means the world. Thank you! 


	24. Chapter 24: Plots and Preparations

A/N: There is absolutely no excuse for leaving you guys hanging as long as I have. But I promise you, no matter how much time may pass between updates, I will _never_ abandon this story, so just stay tuned, and be patient! I'm aiming to wrap this up within the next couple of months. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this, and please take a moment to drop me a review and let me know if you're still reading!

* * *

Chapter 24: Plots and Preparations

Four months later

April 23rd, 2004

Following their spontaneous trip to Los Angeles for Christmas, Dawn and Connor felt closer than ever, despite the continued annoyance of living apart. Aside from the lack of alone time that resulted from their busy schedules and separate apartments, emotionally they were more connected than ever, to the point where not being able to wake up next to each other every day was almost bearable. Although he had won major points with Buffy by whisking Dawn around the world to spend Christmas with her sister, the eldest Summers stubbornly refused to budge when it came to their living situation. But she had, however, become a little more lenient when it came to Dawn's curfew, even giving her permission to spend the night of Valentine's Day at Connor's place, but not without first making it clear that it was a one-time thing.

With every day that went by Dawn became more and more fluent in the Italian language, and slowly climbed her way to the top ten percent of her class, winning over her teachers in the process. Meanwhile, Connor had been relieved to find he still had a job upon returning from Los Angeles. As displeased as his boss had been about the way he had blatantly ignored orders and left the country anyway, he simply couldn't afford to fire one of only two English-speaking movers on the staff. So instead he had just endured about a month of the cold shoulder from Steve Goldberg, and a few less than desirable assignments, the most memorable of which being an entire weekend spent moving an 80-year-old lady and her seven cats out of a cramped, poorly ventilated apartment in the slums of Rome that smelled like...well, like seven cats lived there. But he didn't complain, because he was lucky to even have a job after what he'd pulled, not that he wouldn't do it again in a heartbeat.

So overall, things were going as close to perfect as possible. It wasn't until one of the first days in April when something changed.

Considering that the thought had crossed his mind many times in the past, the moment he made the decision was not what he had expected. He'd been convinced that when the time was right he would just know, and it would happen after an incredible night of lovemaking, or while she stared into his eyes and told him how much she loved him. But instead it had happened in the tiniest moment, one that probably would have otherwise been easily forgotten. Connor had finally grown tired of eating microwave dinners every night, and had splurged on a hotplate for his "kitchen". Dawn had brought over some pancake mix to celebrate, and they had attempted to make a real breakfast. But along the way something went horribly wrong, and the pancake batter ended up splattering all over the both of them. She had turned to him, laughing so hard that her eyes began to tear up, pancake batter sloshed haphazardly across her shirt, hair, and face. As she'd reached up to wipe her eyes, her eyes twinkling as she gazed at him, he'd had an epiphany of sorts, or maybe just a moment of exceptionally clear thought where for the first time, he really thought beyond tomorrow, or even next month. It was in that moment, as she flicked a chunk of pancake batter at him, oblivious to the rather large drop sitting right on the tip of her nose, that he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But it wasn't just that, since deep down he'd come to that realization quite some time ago. What was different now was that wanted to make it official.

Later, when she'd gone home and left him alone to contemplate, he realized what he wanted to do. He was going to ask Dawn to marry him, and he was going to do it soon. At first he had waged an inner battle with himself, wondering if this was indeed the right decision. _Is it too soon? Are we too young? What will Buffy say? _But despite the very worst of the 'what ifs', he kept coming back to the same conclusion. He loved Dawn, and he knew that she loved him. In less than two years together, they had already been through more together than most people face in a lifetime. He was ready to take the next step.

So that was how he found himself pausing outside a jewelry store window while walking to work one day. For a few minutes he gazed at the various pieces on display, trying to work up the nerve to go inside. Finally he just sucked it up and pushed the door open, a small bell tinkling to sound his arrival.

"Potrei aiutarla?" asked an elderly woman behind the counter, moving closer to him. The shop was small and cozy, and thankfully much less intimidating than some of the jewelry stores Connor remembered seeing in the US, with the smartly dressed, pushy sales people and neon lights.

He smiled nervously. "Lei parla degli Inglesi?" His Italian had improved considerably over the past eight months, but he still much preferred English, especially in situations like this.

The woman smiled knowingly. "Yes. What are you looking for today?" she asked politely through a thick accent.

"I...I'm actually looking to buy an engagement ring. For my girlfriend," he stammered.

The woman's whole face lit up. "Ah! Young love. Tell me young man, what kind of ring did you have in mind?" she asked, her English surprisingly clear.

"I'm not sure exactly. This is my first time looking. To be honest, I don't know much about jewelry...or engagements," he added, suddenly feeling extremely out of his league.

"Well why don't you tell me about this young woman of yours, and we'll go from there." She smiled expectantly.

Connor blushed slightly, thinking of how he could best explain Dawn to a complete stranger. "Well...she's beautiful. And smart, and funny. And...she has a real stubborn streak, but she's the most loyal person I've ever met. And when she's happy...her smile just lights up the whole room." He smiled to himself, drifting away in thoughts of Dawn.

"It sounds like she's a very special girl. And for a very special girl, we need a very special ring." The woman moved over to one of the cases and produced a set of keys, unlocking one of the compartments. "How much were you looking to spend?"

Connor blinked. To be honest, he had not considered that at all, he had become so swept up in thoughts of his love for Dawn that he hadn't paused to think about things like money. "Um...I don't really know. I mean, not a lot, I'm not...I can't spend a lot, but I need it to be special."

She nodded absently as she studied the case, seeming to know exactly what she was looking for. "Let me select a few options and then you can look." After considering for a moment, she pulled out three different rings and set them in a row on the counter. "Which one do you like best?"

He bent closer to examine the rings. The first was a small, round diamond on a yellow gold band. It was pretty, but he feared that it was too ordinary, and even though it was probably right in his price range, he worried that the stone might be too small. He knew that girls tended to use their engagement rings as a kind of status symbol, and he wanted Dawn to be proud of it. The second ring was much better. It had a square diamond flanked by two smaller ones on the sides, and while none of the stones could be considered large, their combined effect produced a lot of sparkle. "This one's nice," he commented, picking the ring up to examine it closer. He glanced at the price tag...and nearly dropped it on the counter. This ring would cost him about half a year's pay. Rattled, he quickly returned it to the counter and shifted his attention to the third prospect. "This is interesting," he said almost to himself. The stone was pear-shaped, and he couldn't recall ever seeing one just like it.

"This is a lovely ring. It's 18 karat white gold, and this is a beautiful stone, a half carat. It's unique," she said with a smile. "Definitely stands out in a crowd."

He found himself holding his breath slightly before looking at the price tag. To his relief, it wasn't as outrageous as the other ring had been, although it would still set him back considerably. "Um, do you have...payment plans?"

The woman laughed loudly. "Don't worry about it. We always find an arrangement that works for the customer." She paused. "So what do you think?"

"I'll take it," he blurted before he could lose his nerve. He handed the ring back to the saleswoman.

"Wonderful. Now, do you know her ring size?"

Connor blanched. "Um...no, I don't."

"It's okay, a lot of young men like yourself have no idea of their intended's ring size when they come in here. There are a few simple ways you could find out. The easiest is to find a ring of hers that fits well, and measure the diameter. But don't worry, we'll hold it for you and you can return to let us know the size." She smiled encouragingly.

Connor nodded. "Okay. Do you need any kind of down payment now?"

"That won't be necessary, we can take care of that after you get the size."

He nodded. "Thank you so much for your help," he said sincerely. They exchanged goodbyes and Connor left the shop, trying to think up a discreet way to get Dawn's ring size. He supposed that one easy option would be confiding in one of her friends and asking them to find out for him. Buffy came to mind first, but he felt slightly queasy as he realized that he had no idea how she would react to the idea of him marrying Dawn. He definitely wasn't ready to deal with that conversation until he needed to. Next he thought of Gina, but he worried that the increasingly outgoing Italian slayer might not be the best when it came to keeping a secret as big as this. Then there was Amelia. Connor didn't really know her well enough to know if he could trust her with this information. What if she went straight to Dawn with the knowledge that he was going to propose, ruining the surprise? No, that wouldn't work. He furrowed his brow. The only other option was to try and obtain her ring size himself, which would not be easy. She kept her jewelry in a box on her dresser, and now that they no longer shared a bedroom, he had no idea if the opportunity would arise where he was alone long enough to find one of her rings, and even if he did, she might notice. And he was definitely not creative enough to fib his way out of _that_ situation.

Suddenly the light bulb went off in his head as another idea occurred to him. It might not be perfect...but it was better than anything else he had come up with. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Dawn and Buffy's apartment, hoping against the odds that the person he wanted to talk to would be the one to pick up the phone, and deciding that he would just hang up if she didn't.

"Hello?" came the voice on the other end.

He smiled at his good luck. "Faith, hi. It's Connor." He took a breath. "I need your help."

* * *

Faith's eyes grew very wide. "You're proposing?" she asked incredulously. The two of them were sitting across from each other at a booth in the pizza place near the apartment, the same one where several months earlier he and Dawn had sat and began their reconciliation.

"Yes. I know it probably seems sudden...but it feels right," he said, a little defensively.

Faith smiled at him through a mouthful of pepperoni pizza. "I was actually going to say it's about damn time."

He blinked. "Are you serious?"

She laughed. "I always figured you two would end up tying the knot. I mean, you've already done everything else. You lived together, you broke up, got back together. What else is left?"

As usual he found himself astonished by how easily Faith could simplify the most complex of circumstances. "So...do you think Dawn will be happy? I mean, do you think she'll want this?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Please. She'll be thrilled. Have you even seen the way she looks at you?" She paused. "I still don't really get why you're telling me all of this. What did you need my help with again?"

"I went shopping for an engagement ring today, but I don't know Dawn's ring size. And you live with her...so I was thinking that maybe you could get another ring of hers and give it to me as a sample."

She stared at him. "So we go through all this just for you to ask me to steal one of her rings?"

"Borrow," he corrected hastily, not wanting to give the ex-con the wrong idea. "I would do it myself, but I don't know if I'd get the opportunity. But she would never suspect you."

Faith shrugged. "Sure. I'll do it. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Thank you. And remember...I don't want anyone else to know. I don't even have the ring yet, and once I get it I don't know when I'm going to, you know...I want it to be just right. But anyway, just keep this between us."

"Done," she said with a noncommittal shrug, reaching for a third slice of pizza. An amused expression came over her face as a thought occurred to her. "I can't wait to see Buffy's face when she finds out you guys are gettin' hitched."

Connor winced. "What do you think her reaction will be?"

Faith chewed her pizza, considering that. "Well, I think at first she'll be pissed. But she'll come around, especially if she sees that it makes Dawn happy. I know B can seem a little overbearing sometimes, with the whole Nazi act when it comes to you guys living apart and Dawn's curfew and everything, but she just wants what's best for her. And as you probably know, that little stunt you pulled at Christmas won you some major points. She'll come around, just don't expect her to go crazy over china patterns and flowers right away."

Connor nodded. "I'm sure she'll be a little freaked at first. I mean, marriage is a big step. I'm freaking out a little myself." Faith raised an eyebrow. "No! Not like that. I definitely want to marry Dawn, I know that this is right. I'm just nervous, about what she'll say, and how I'll ask her. I can't screw this up."

"I think you could throw the ring at her and she'd still stay yes. The girl's got it bad for you. But I'm sure you'll think of something all gooey and romantic." Faith finished off the final piece of pizza, running her finger over the plate to pick up the crumbs before licking it in a very unladylike manner.

Connor looked at her in amusement. "Well...thanks again. I really appreciate this."

"No problem. It's not like I have many better things to do these days," she commented as they rose from the table. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

* * *

The next morning Connor was searching his apartment for his sneakers when there was a knock at the door. He sighed in frustration. He had very rarely misplaced anything when he had been living with Dawn, because she had always been around to neaten his things and make sure kept everything in its proper place. Nowadays getting ready for work took ten extra minutes because he could never remember where he had left things the night before. Temporarily giving up his search, he padded barefoot to the door and peered through the peephole, surprised to see Faith on the other side.

He quickly swung the door open, and couldn't even get a word out before she held up a ring with a blue stone that he had seen Dawn wear several times. "Mission accomplished," she declared, handing the ring to him.

Connor stared at her with appreciation. "That was fast. And she doesn't suspect anything?"

"Nope. Buffy left early for work, Dawn went to school, I went in her room and got the ring out of her jewelry box. Like taking candy from a baby."

"Great. I'm going to take this to the jewelry store today, and hopefully we can get it back before she notices it's missing. Thanks, Faith. I owe you one."

"No you don't," she added, almost as an afterthought. "See you later."

"Bye," he said, waving before closing the door. He looked down at the little ring in his palm, tossing it up in the air and catching it, a satisfied smile on his face.

* * *

The following afternoon Connor emerged from the jewelry shop with a small bag in his hand and a strange feeling in his stomach, something between excitement and terror. He paused on the sidewalk, stepping back out of the flow of pedestrian traffic before removing the small ring box from the bag and opening it slowly. There it was, sparkling even more than before, having been giving a special cleaning before being boxed up. He had to fight the urge to wince when he thought about the cost: he would have to work many hours before it was all paid for, but he just knew that as long as Dawn liked it, no price was too high.

He tucked the ring box in his pocket, pushing it down deep to be sure it was secure, and then tossed the bag in the nearest garbage can. Now there was only one thing left to do.

He pulled out his cell phone as he started to walk to work for his shift, pressing the number one to speed-dial Dawn. She answered on the second ring, her bright voice having as much of an effect on him now as it had the day he'd met her. "Hey you," she said playfully.

He unconsciously broke into a grin. "Hey yourself. How are you?"

"I'm okay, just walking home from school. Are you on your way to work?" Somehow she always knew his schedule even better than he did.

"Yes, I am." He paused. "I'll stop by to see you after. But I was wondering if you had any plans for tomorrow night."

"Well, I do now. What did you have in mind?" she asked curiously.

"I want to take you out," he replied.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, her slightly suspicious tone causing him to start. It wasn't possible she _knew,_ was it?

"Who says there has to be an occasion?" he said a little too quickly. "I mean…I just want to spend some time with you, go somewhere nice for a change instead of my apartment."

"Should I dress up?" she asked hopefully.

He smiled. "Sure. I'll pick you up at seven?"

"How about I can just meet you at your place?" she said. "It's probably best for everyone…Buffy will be home, so you can avoid the third degree."

"Okay, if you want. I'll be waiting."

"Where are you taking me?" she pried. He could tell that he had definitely gotten a hold of her curiosity with his cryptic invitation.

"You'll just have to wait and see," he replied calmly. "I'll stop by later to say good night."

"Okay. Have a good day at work. I love you."

"I love you too," he said. They hung up, and he let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. Everything was almost in place. Now he just needed to call the little restaurant he had heard some of the guys talking about at work and make a reservation. He'd heard it was very intimate and romantic, and it sounded like an ideal location for his proposal.

He had contemplated telling James about his plans, but had ultimately decided against it. Even though James was his best friend, he and Gina were closer than ever these days, and he didn't know her well enough to trust that she wouldn't tell Dawn. So he'd decided that aside from Faith, he would keep it quiet for now, and afterwards he and Dawn could decide together how to tell their friends and family. _Assuming she says yes_, he thought nervously. He was basing all of his plans around the rather colossal assumption that Dawn would want to marry him as much as he wanted to marry her. What if she wasn't ready for this commitment just yet?

_Stop_, he told himself firmly. His whole life he had always trusted his instincts, and he could feel deep down that this was right. Tomorrow night was going to be a whole new beginning for both of them. With a satisfied nod he reached his hand into his pocket to touch the ring box, the smooth black velvet cool in his hand.

* * *

"That's her," the vampire hissed.

"Should we act now?" asked another, taller vampire, crouched behind the dumpster.

"No," said the first. "We must wait for the order to go ahead with the plan." He glared at their target in the distance. "The slayer will not get away with what she has done. She will regret the day she ever chose to attempt to outnumber us." The tall one made a noise that sounded like a snarl, clearly in agreement. Then they both watched in silence as Dawn opened the door to the apartment building and walked inside, blissfully unaware of the two figures watching her from the shadows.

* * *

TBC! Please review! 


	25. Chapter 25: Back in Action

Chapter 25: Back in Action

The next day

April 24th, 2004

Dawn stood in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her hair, which was gently curled and partially fastened back, while the rest hung over her shoulders. She took a step back, giving her appearance one final critique. The new red dress she'd bought after school fit like it was made for her, clinging to all the right places. Her necklace and bracelet that Connor had given her for their first Christmas and her last birthday, respectively, added just enough pizzazz to the outfit. Satisfied, she stepped into her kitten heels and picked up her sweater and bag from the dresser, making sure she had her cell phone and key before leaving the bedroom.

Buffy was sitting on the couch perusing the newspaper while Faith watched tv, and they both looked up when Dawn entered the room. Faith let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "Lookin' good."

It took Buffy slightly longer to come up with a suitable reaction. "Wow. You look…gorgeous."

Dawn beamed. "Thank you."

"Do you know where Connor's taking you?" Buffy asked.

"No, he was actually pretty cryptic about it. I think he might have another surprise up his sleeve." Dawn thought she noticed Faith raise an eyebrow, looking almost knowing for a second, but it passed so quick that she dismissed it.

"Well, have fun. Be home by midnight," Buffy said unwaveringly.

Dawn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Don't worry. Enjoy your night." They both called out their goodbyes as Dawn headed for the door, glancing at the clock on the way out. It was ten of seven, so she had plenty of time for the quick walk to Connor's place.

She descended the stairs and stepped out into the night. She could tell that the seasons were starting to change; for the first night in months she was comfortable without needing to put her jacket on. Breathing in the clear night air as the final traces of sunlight left the sky, she wondered with excitement what Connor had in store for her tonight. Lost in thought, she rounded the corner, and before she knew what was happening a hand had clamped over her mouth, suppressing her scream.

* * *

Connor straightened the collar of his shirt for what had to be the thirtieth time, before checking for at least the hundredth time that the ring box was secure in the pocket of his pants. He stared into the mirror and cleared his throat before beginning his well-rehearsed speech once more.

"Dawn…I didn't know what love was before I met you." He paused for effect. "As soon as I saw you that day in the hotel, I knew that you were unlike any other girl I'd met. This past year and a half with you has been the best time of my life. I know we've had our ups and downs, but we survived. I promised you before that I would always be honest and faithful to you." He paused, figuring that at this point he would remove the ring box from his pocket and get down on one knee. "Dawn Summers, will you marry me?" He felt a little chill as he spoke the words, and laughed nervously. He couldn't believe this was really happening. Tonight was going to be the most important night of his life so far.

Satisfied that he was prepared, he glanced at the clock for the first time in a while and blinked in surprise when he realized it was already seven. She would be here any second. He made one final attempt at flattening his hair before sitting down on the couch in an attempt to calm his nerves, waiting for the knock at the door.

At 7:05, he ran through his speech again. He had told her to dress up, and he knew that with Dawn that could easily be a multi-hour process. She was probably just curling her hair.

At 7:10 he began to get almost annoyed with her. If she kept this up, they were going to be late for their 7:30 reservation.

At 7:15, he first felt a wave of panic. Her apartment was only a five minute walk. All thoughts of missed reservations went out the window as he began to genuinely fear that something was wrong.

By 7:20, he was sure he had paced a new groove in the floor, and he could feel his heart pounding oddly in his chest. Something was wrong. Dawn had never been this late before. The part of his mind that remained rational reminded him that she was probably just getting herself ready, and that she'd probably had to deal with an interrogation from Buffy before she could leave. With a start he remembered his cell phone. He was still so unused to this technology that he had completely forgotten that he could simply call her to find out where she was! He dug it out of his jacket pocket and frantically pressed the number one, his heart sinking more with every ring until it finally clicked to voicemail.

At 7:24 he could no longer take it, and he dialed her apartment, praying that it would be her voice that answered, having overslept from a nap or had some mishap while getting ready. His hopes sank when Buffy answered.

"Is Dawn there?" he blurted without saying hello. All thoughts of pleasantries were gone at the moment, overtaken by a fierce need to just know that she was okay.

"Isn't she with you?" Buffy asked, and as he heard a note of panic in her voice the sense of dread that had been steadily growing over the past ten minutes suddenly consumed him to the point where he could think of nothing else.

He close his eyes for half a second, trying to remain focused. "Just tell me, what time did she leave?"

"Over a half an hour ago. Connor, she should have been there a long time ago." Buffy was half-yelling at him now.

"Well she's not! Look, did she mention anything that she might have stopped for on the way, an errand or something?"

"No, no. Did you try her cell phone?"

"Of course I did, she didn't answer," he said shortly. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm coming over." Before Buffy could protest he hung up the phone and glanced wildly around the room. In a split second decision he tore off his collared shirt and dress pants, pulling on the t-shirt, jacket, and jeans he had worn to work, not realizing until he heard the soft thump that the box containing Dawn's engagement ring was still in the pocket of his discarded pants. Torn, he extracted it from the pocket and put it in his jeans before running out the door.

* * *

Three minutes later Connor banged on the door of the apartment with such ferocity that it made both Buffy and Faith jump. Buffy rushed to the door, flinging it open and allowing her sister's boyfriend to storm inside. He started to open his mouth but Buffy beat him to it.

"What the hell were you thinking, having her walk to your place in the dark, alone?" Buffy demanded harshly.

"Don't you go there, it was her idea, and she never would have suggested it if she hadn't known that _you_ would give me a hard time!" Connor shot back.

"HEY!" Faith shouted, causing them both to abandon the argument and stare at her, Connor realizing for the first time that she was even in the room. "Knock it off, you two! Getting at each other's throats is _not_ going to help us find Dawn!" Her eyes were blazing, and Connor realized that she was scared, too. An icy silence filled the room.

"Okay, first we should retrace the steps between here and your place, maybe we'll find some clue as to who- as to where she might have gone," Buffy stammered. All of a sudden, as if she'd forgotten something very important, she darted for her bedroom, and they heard the sounds of her rummaging like she was looking for something.

"We should call her friends, maybe one of them knows something," Faith suggested, heading for the phone.

Connor nodded, pulling out his own cell phone and desperately dialing Dawn for the tenth time in as many minutes. "Come on, pick up, pick up," he muttered, but once again all he got was her voicemail.

Buffy emerged from the bedroom, carrying a large black duffel bag. She set it down on the couch and began pulling things from it. When Connor saw her start a small pile of stakes, crossbows, and other various weapons, he knew that she was thinking the exact same thing he was. "You don't think that humans had anything to do with this either," Connor stated.

Buffy shook her head, continuing to rummage through the bag, robotically sorting the weapons into two piles. "It's the only thing that makes sense. But I don't understand it, other than the occasional run-of-the-mill vampire, I've hardly seen anything around here in months."

"Hi Amelia, it's Faith. We were just wondering if you've seen Dawn tonight?" Connor turned to watch as Faith spoke on the phone. She shook her head at him to let him know that Amelia had not seen her. He strode toward her, holding his hand out for the receiver, which she gave to him without question.

"Amelia, it's Connor. Look, do you remember Dawn mentioning anything that she had to do before our date tonight, or just anything out of the ordinary? Do you remember seeing anyone strange hanging around?" he asked, his voice surprisingly steady.

"No, no, I haven't. All she said was that you had some big date tonight, she was really excited about it. Connor, what's going on? Did something happen to Dawn?" Amelia asked fearfully.

"We don't know. But she's missing." His insides churned at the word.

"Missing? What do you mean, missing?" Amelia asked, her voice rising an octave.

"We don't know. Look, I'll keep you updated-"

"Have you called the police?" she demanded.

Connor paused for a second. If he and Buffy were right, the police would not be much help. "We're going to take care of it. Just please, if you hear from Dawn, will you call me?" He rattled off his cell phone number.

"Of course. Look, I want to help! Dawn's my best friend. Please tell me what I can do!"

Connor hesitated. Involving Amelia, who was still virtually in the dark about any and all supernatural happenings, would make the situation even more complicated, which was the last thing they needed right now. "I know, but right now the best thing to do is just sit tight." He hung up before she could object. He spun around to face Buffy, who was transferring the smaller pile of weapons into a smaller black shoulder bag. "Do you have a plan?"

Buffy tossed a stake to Faith, who swiftly caught it and stuffed it inside her jacket. "I don't know. Like you said, first we retrace Dawn's steps and hopefully find some clue as to what might have happened. And if we don't, I'll find every vampire or demon I can and beat them senseless until we find one who knows something." The no-nonsense manner in which she seamlessly switched back into her warrior leader position gave Connor flashbacks to their final days in Sunnydale. He hadn't seen this side of Buffy since, but then again, there had been no need for it.

"B, think about this. If someone took her as bait for you, they're gonna have to contact you somehow," Faith interjected. "That has to be it. Why else would they just snatch her off the street? The only thing about Dawn that the undead could possibly be interested in is the fact that she's your sister."

Buffy nodded. "It certainly wouldn't be the first time." She tossed a stake to Connor, who wrapped his fingers around it with a death grip.

"So that means someone has to stay here, in case they try to contact you," Connor said impatiently. He turned to Faith.

"Nuh-uh. No way I am playing phone duty when there is demon ass to be kicked. I can fight, I need to be out there with B," Faith said stubbornly.

"What, you think _I'm_ staying?" For a second Connor became so frustrated that he considered just abandoning them and going to find Dawn on his own. Then inspiration struck. "Amelia. She wanted to help, we can call her, have her come over and sit by the phone. We don't need to tell her anything," he added quickly at the looks on their faces. "Just that someone should stay here in case Dawn tries to call."

"Would she be in danger?" Faith asked.

Buffy shook her head. "No. If they were going to come here they wouldn't have bothered taking Dawn off the street. They want me to come to them. Make the call," she added to Connor. "Faith will stay here until Amelia arrives. No buts," she threatened as Faith opened her mouth to protest. "We can't waste anymore time sitting here. As soon as she comes you can catch up." Faith clamped her lips shut, nodding grudgingly.

Amelia answered on the first ring and Connor quickly explained what they needed her to do. Grateful to have something to do to help, she said she would be there as quick as she could. "Let's go," Connor said to Buffy, half-running for the door.

* * *

The two of them walked the dark streets between their two apartments in tense silence. The already existing animosity between them seemed to have been magnified by their fear, yet they were somehow united by their common goal. Connor was moving as fast as he could without transitioning to an all-out jog, but Buffy of course had no trouble keeping up, and even moved ahead of him at times as they scoured every corner of each alley they passed, desperate for some sort of clue. They had only just rounded the first corner when they found it.

Out of the corner of his eye Connor spotted something black lying on the ground, half hidden underneath a dumpster. His heart gave a lurch as he realized what it was. Stooping to pick it up he held it out for Buffy to see and watched as the slayer's eyes widened. "This is her sweater," he hissed.

"She was carrying it when she left. She must have dropped it when…" she stopped herself, deciding instead to check the rest of the area. It was impossible to see any signs of a struggle on the concrete; if it had not been for the sweater they would have had no indication that anything out of the ordinary had happened here. "Well how does this help us? There's no trail, they could have taken her any- what are you doing?"

Connor had turned suddenly and had his chin raised, a peculiar, focused expression on his face. "I think they went this way," he said, pointing down the street to the left, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Buffy stared at him with a combination of awe and utter confusion. "You did not just _smell_ her."

"Little perk of being the miracle child of two vampires," he said wryly, already taking off down the street in the direction of her scent. Buffy followed a moment later, after thinking that somehow Connor always managed to surprise her. In that way he was a lot like his father. She hurried after him down the street, her bag of weapons pressed tightly to her side.

* * *

Dawn stirred, her mind fuzzy as she blinked her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that she was in an awkward position, and she couldn't move. With a jolt she realized that her arms, which were raised, were held in place by shackles that bound her wrists. As her vision slowly came into focus, she saw that she was sitting on a concrete floor. She was relieved to see that she was still wearing the red dress, and even her shoes were still on her feet. Her ankles were crudely tied together with a thick rope. She struggled to get her balance and stand, but she couldn't prop herself up enough.

_I was walking to Connor's, and someone grabbed me_, she remembered. After that she couldn't remember anything, but she must have been knocked out. A ripple of fear went through her as she wondered how long she'd been unconscious.

_Where am I?_ She squinted into the dark. It appeared that she was in a vast, empty room with high ceilings, the only windows up very high. It seemed like some sort of warehouse.

_Connor will know something's wrong when I don't show up. He'll find me._ Her mind raced wildly as she tried to figure out who possibly could have taken her. There was only one explanation: vampires. It shocked her slightly after so many months of relative peace to be thrust back into this dark world again.

Trying to ignore the pounding of her head, she wriggled her arms, wincing as the tight metal of the shackles chafed her wrists. She managed to grab hold of the metal chain with her fingers and used the leverage to haul herself to her feet, teetering in her heels, her ankles tied together at an unnatural angle. She tested the strength of her bonds, giving the shackles an experimental tug, but it became quickly obvious that they weren't going anywhere.

_They must want Buffy, and I'm the bait._ She felt a slight twinge of annoyance at this thought.

She heard footsteps and stiffened, watching as a figure emerged from the shadows. Sure enough it was a tall vampire with long blonde hair that he wore back in a ponytail, his face contorted evilly. "Well whaddya know, she's awake," he said with cool indifference.

She glared at him. "What the hell do you want?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Feisty. Relax, babe."

Repulsed by the term of endearment, she continued to stare defiantly. "Don't think I haven't seen this before. I know you just want my sister, and trust me, she'll be here, and then you'll all be sorry you ever laid a finger on me."

There was a loud creak as a door opened, and a stream of light hit Dawn's face as three more figures entered the building from the far end, hundreds of feet away, slowly making their way towards her. "She's awake," growled the blonde.

A slightly shorter vampire in a leather jacket that Dawn immediately took to be the leader by the way the others walked slightly behind him approached her, giving her a once-over. "I can see that." He turned to the others. "The ritual will take place at midnight. Everything has been arranged."

Her stomach turned over a little at the mention of the word _ritual_, flashes of a tall tower invading her mind. She didn't like rituals. "Hello? Forget about me over here, your hostage?" she said more boldly than she felt. "Might be nice if you let me in on the plan."

Much to her annoyance, the four vampires howled with laughter. One of the lackeys approached her, sneering at her outfit. "Nice dress. Got a hot date tonight?" He reached out and hooked a long, dirty finger under the strap of her dress, snapping it against her skin as he laughed. She closed her eyes briefly as he touched her, repulsed.

"What do you want from me?" she asked firmly, her patience beginning to wear thin.

"Your blood," the vampire replied, surprisingly candid.

Dawn felt a chill as the awful sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her once more. Unsure how to respond, she settled for looking defiant, despite the fact that the situation appeared to be growing more desperate by the second.

The leader looked at the others, shrugging. "We may as well tell her. She won't live long enough to tell anyone." He looked at her. "We're doing a ritual to raise the demon Condannare. He's extremely powerful, powerful enough to bring our race back to dominance in this world." The other vampire smiled with glee.

"And you need a sacrifice for the ritual," Dawn finished for him, trying to prevent her voice from shaking. "Where does the fact that I'm Buffy Summers's sister come in?"

The four of them laughed. "What better way to stick it to the bitch who created a super race of slayers to try to drive our kind to extinction than to use her own sister's blood to raise the demon who will even the score?" snarled the one who had touched her.

"_Don't _call my sister that," she hissed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. _Buffy's not coming. I'm not bait, this isn't a trap they're waiting for her to walk into. They don't want her to know about this until after I'm already dead._ And by her calculations, she had less than four hours to go until midnight, possibly much less, considering she had no idea how long she had been unconscious. For the first time, she started to feel truly scared.

"She still thinks _Buffy _is going to ride to the rescue," mocked the blonde vampire, saying her sister's name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

_She will_, Dawn told herself. _Connor too. They won't let anything happen to me._ But at the same time she had to wonder. She had no idea where she was. Sure, it appeared to be a warehouse of some kind, but there were probably hundreds of buildings like this in Rome. And- _oh God_- how did she know she was even _in_ Rome anymore?

"So just sit tight, babe," said the blonde, smirking. "If you're real good, we might even make sure there's enough of you left for your sister to bury." With that the four of them turned and walked away, leaving Dawn to stand unsteadily in her awkward position, hoping against hope that Buffy and Connor would find her in time.

* * *

"So? Anything?" Buffy asked impatiently as she continued to follow Connor down the street. They'd been following the "trail" for over fifteen minutes now, with no signs of anything suspicious. And as far as she was concerned, every minute was precious.

He shot her an annoyed look. "I'm doing the best that I can. Do you have a better idea?"

"Can you still…you know. Smell her?" Buffy asked warily.

He paused. "Not exactly. I think they might have taken her in a car. The trail sort of went dead."

She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at him. "So then where the hell are you going?"

"I just have a hunch! I feel like we should be going this way. And we know they started off in this direction."

"A hunch? You're following a _hunch_ when my sister is missing?"

"Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe we have a connection? Maybe we can feel each other?" Connor demanded.

Before Buffy could come back with a retort, her cell phone buzzed, causing them both to jump. Glaring at Connor, she answered it. "Hello?" She paused, looking up at the nearest street sign, and rattling off the address before hanging up. "Faith. She's going to catch up with us. Amelia's there." She closed her eyes for a second. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I'm just frustrated. We don't have any clues. Dawn could be anywhere."

He nodded. "I know. I'd just rather _go_ somewhere than stand around and mope about how we don't have any leads."

"I know. I would rather feel like we're doing something too," Buffy agreed. She made a frustrated noise. "We'll keep walking on this road until Faith shows up, but if we don't find anything, I think we need to approach this another way."

"Fine by me," Connor said, losing more faith in his tracking skills with each minute that passed without a sign of Dawn. As they continued to walk he kept up his silent pleas. _Dawn, where are you? I need a sign._ Even though it went against everything he believed in, at the moment his connection was Dawn was the best asset he had, and he wasn't about to give up on it.

About five minutes later they heard the sounds of quick footsteps approaching behind them, instinctively drawing weapons before realizing that it was just Faith…and Gina.

"What is she doing here?" Buffy asked fiercely upon seeing the junior slayer who had run up beside Faith, dressed all in black with a determined look on her face.

"Look, I'm sorry. Amelia called her and she showed up as I was leaving and insisted on coming. But is it really so bad to have her around? She is a slayer, after all," Faith argued.

"_She_ is standing right here," Gina said in her thick accent. "And my friend is missing, I will not do nothing! I want to fight."

Buffy, Faith, and Connor shared a look before coming to some sort of silent agreement that Gina could stay. "Just remember that I can't waste time protecting you. Dawn is my first priority," Buffy stated.

Gina did not look phased. "You have trained me well. I do not need protection."

Shaking her head slightly, Buffy turned to Faith. "We've just been walking this way because Connor…felt something. But we're getting nowhere so I think it's time we try a different approach. Gina and I will go to the cemetery, find some local vamps and see if anyone knows anything about Dawn. You and Connor keep looking."

"Looking for what? A needle in a haystack? Do you have any clues?" Faith asked.

Connor held out the black scrap of Dawn's sweater. "It was in the alley where she was taken. I caught her scent going this way, but I lost the trail." He chose to ignore the way Faith and Gina's eyebrows went up as he described this peculiar talent of his.

"Maybe they took her in a car," Faith suggested. "Would explain why the, uh, scent went cold."

"Well that just complicates things more, because who knows how far they could have gotten in a car by now," Connor said, his voice edged with panic.

"Too bad Willow isn't here, she could work some of her witchy mojo and locate Dawn," Faith commented.

Buffy's eyes snapped up. "A locator spell. I never thought I'd say this but…good idea, Faith."

Faith smirked. "Thanks, but it's not like we can do one. We don't have any supplies, and we wouldn't know where to start anyway."

"I don't like magic," Connor half-growled.

"Well do you have a better idea?" Buffy demanded. "Look, I could get Willow on the phone, she could tell you what to do and you and Connor could get the supplies and perform the spell. There has to be a magic shop somewhere in this city."

Faith glanced at Connor. "But you really think we'd be able to make it work? We're not witches."

"It's worth a try. It's better than wasting time wandering around, and Gina and I will still try to get information out of some of the locals. I think you should do it." Buffy handed Faith her cell phone. "Willow's on speed dial." She turned her attention to Connor. "I know you don't like magic, but it saved our butts in Sunnydale more times than I can count." She grabbed Gina and started to walk away. "First one to find out anything will call." Faith nodded in agreement, watching as the two slayers disappeared into the night.

Faith and Connor looked at each other. "Well, guess it's time for our best Willow impersonations," Faith said with a smirk as she held the cell phone up to her ear.

* * *

TBC!

Please review!


	26. Chapter 26: Rescue Mission

A/N: I'm back! I'm so sorry for the delay. I started my freshman year of college this fall, and time has been an issue. But I promise that I have no plans to abandon this fic, or any of my other WIPs. You can expect updates to Destiny and The Serena Chronicles in the near future as well! I hope you guys are still reading. If you are, please take a second to review, it would be great encouragement as I try to get my muses going again!

* * *

Chapter 26: Rescue Mission

"Hey, in here," Faith said, beckoning to Connor before entering a small café with a sign advertising free internet access. He hurried in behind her, slightly confused by what they were doing, and his concern for Dawn growing exponentially with every minute that passed.

He watched Faith sit down at an unoccupied computer along a row against the wall. "Looking up magic shops," she explained a little louder than necessary. Connor noticed several heads turn and give them disapproving looks.

"Hurry up," he muttered as her fingers punched the keys deliberately. He fidgeted as he waited, Faith slowly scrolling through a page of results.

"Looks like there's only one place in town that might have what we need." She hit a few more keys and soon a printer in the corner started whirring. She grabbed the sheet of paper as it came out and they hurried back outside to the street. "We just have one little problem."

"What?" Connor asked, agitated.

"This place is on the complete other side of town. Unless Dawn can wait until Christmas, we can't walk."

Connor groaned. "Do any buses run this time of night?"

She gave him a look. "I'm not exactly an expert on Roman public transportation. I have no idea, and aren't we in a little bit of a hurry to be waiting for a bus? What we really need is a car, but we don't exactly have one of those lying around."

Suddenly Connor had an idea. It was wrong on so many levels, but it was the only solution he could think of. "I know where we can get a car," he said quickly, heading off down the street with newfound purpose. Bewildered, Faith hurried after him.

"Is it illegal?" she asked with a tone of excitement that made Connor a little wary.

He considered that. "Extremely." She grinned wickedly as they sped down the street as fast as their legs would carry them.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Connor shielded his eyes and peered in the dark window of the garage at Rome Movers and Co.. "This is so wrong," he muttered to himself, visions of pink slips and a murderous Steve Goldberg dancing through his conscience.

"Hey, I'm proud of you. You're more of a rebel than I thought, never would have plugged you for the type to steal from your own employers," Faith said with new admiration. She stood back, examining the garage doors. "Piece of cake."

"Um, is it possible to do this, you know, without causing too much…destruction?" Connor said nervously. "Because once we…once we rescue Dawn, I plan to bring it back."

She nodded absently, eyeing the unmoving, heavy doors. Stepping back, she surveyed the rest of the building, before spotting something that made her eyes light up. "Bingo." She jerked her head towards the windows that surrounded the garage just below the roof. "Alarm system?" she asked.

"I think only in the offices, not the garage," Connor said, praying that he was right.

"Well then come on." Faith led him around the side of the building where they were less conspicuous, dragging a dumpster to a strategic location. "Follow me." She hopped up on top of the dumpster effortlessly. Squatting down, she sprung up high enough to grab hold of a large pipe that ran horizontally across the wall. Hoisting herself up with an impressive display of upper body strength, she raised herself so she was standing on the pipe, eye level with the window.

Connor copied her movements, pulling himself up next to her. Faith reached out to test one of the windows experimentally, and they both grinned when it swung inward. "Like they were waiting for us," she said slyly. As they swung themselves up and through the window, Connor thought to himself that for someone who was supposedly reformed, she seemed to enjoy this crime stuff an awful lot.

Once through the window, it was about a 30 foot drop to the top of the row of lockers beneath them. With only slight hesitation they both jumped, landing agilely as a deafening clang echoed through the garage from the impact of their weight on the metal. Connor winced, bracing himself for a second, but there wasn't a sound. The place was deserted for the night.

Hopping down from the lockers, he turned his eyes to what they had come for. Hurrying to the bulletin board where the keys hang he pulled a set off, heading for the nearest of the two moving vans. "Can you open the doors from the inside?" Faith asked, still glowing with excitement from their breaking-and-entering adventure.

"I think so," he said. He wasn't used to getting through the locks that his boss employed when closing up for the night, but he hoped they wouldn't be too much of a problem. Sure enough they were dead-bolted from the inside, but that could be dealt with easily enough. For some reason he found himself holding his breath as he pushed a button, the garage creaking loudly to life as the doors raised. "I'll leave the dead bolt off so we can bring it back," he called to Faith, hoping that no one took notice of the defenseless building and used the opportunity to rob the company blind. When the doors were open wide enough to let them through, the pair headed back to the van. "Do you drive?" he asked hesitantly.

"First time for everything," Faith said enthusiastically.

He sighed. "Forget I asked." He climbed in the driver's seat and started the van. Even though he had been behind the wheel a couple of times before, it had been a while. It was usually James that drove. Hoping that he remembered how to do everything correctly, he started the engine as Faith hopped in the passenger seat. Silently apologizing to his boss, he hit the gas and with a jerk the huge van roared to life and they sailed through the open doors. He stopped for a moment for Faith to get out and close the garage.

"Dude, you are _so_ fired," she said with a laugh as she sat back down.

Connor gave her a stern look. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"It's been a while since I had a good break-and-enter. Even though that was a little lame, too easy," she complained.

He drove down the street just under the speed limit, his heart, which had already been beating a little faster than normal ever since Dawn had failed to show up for their date, now threatening to leap out of his chest. "Give it some gas, Grandma," Faith muttered.

"Sorry, but I don't really have time to get pulled over right now. Let's think about how that would look. I don't have a license. And we just _stole a moving van_ from the place where I work. We won't do Dawn any good in jail," he shot at her.

Faith held up her hands. "Fine, do it your way." She handed him the sheet of paper she'd printed out earlier. Looking at it, he was relieved to see that it was from one of those directions websites that printed a map on the bottom. "I'm going to call Willow, so we know what to look for once we actually find this joint," she continued, pulling out Buffy's cell phone. Connor nodded, gripping the steering wheel and slowly accelerating, encouraged by the lack of traffic.

"Hey Willow? It's Faith…no, wait. It's about Dawn. Buffy asked me to call you." She quickly explained their situation. With his unnatural hearing Connor listened as Willow freaked out and asked a million questions, finally choosing to tune her out. His own worries were already nearly more than he could deal with. He distantly heard Faith muttering a list of ingredients to herself as Willow dictated instructions to her. She rummaged in the glove box until she found a pen, grabbing the directions back from Connor to scrawl some notes on the back.

_Hang on, Dawn_, Connor pleaded silently. He hated every bit of this plan. He had always detested magic. But unless Buffy and Gina were successful in the cemetery, it could be their only option. That was if the spell even worked. Neither he nor Faith knew much of anything about magic. Would sheer desperation be enough?

Faith continued to talk to Willow, jotting things down furiously and occasionally asking questions. Connor just continued to drive, the speedometer now hovering slightly above the legal limit.

"Okay, okay. You think we'll be able to do this?" Faith asked into the phone. Connor could not hear Willow's response, but he noticed Faith's grim expression out of the corner of his eye. "Well, just stay by the phone. We might need you. Hey, there it is!" Faith said suddenly, pointing to a small storefront they were about to pass. Connor slammed on the brakes, jerking the van into reverse to pull up to the curb in front of the shop. As he jumped out he realized with dread that the shop might be closed. Honestly, at this point he wasn't beyond breaking in to get what they needed. He had already stolen a van from his own employer, how much worse could it get?

"It's open!" Faith called triumphantly, throwing open the door and storming inside, Connor right on her heels. She glanced down at the hastily scribbled list she'd transcribed from Willow's instructions, then headed straight for the counter, where a small, mousy woman with purple hair and some kind of large pendant that looked vaguely occult-ish was reading a book. "We need this stuff," Faith said, zooming right past pleasantries as she shoved the list at the woman.

The woman blinked at Faith and Connor as if she'd never seen anything quite like them before examining the list. "I-I think we have everything." She moved with surprising speed from behind the counter, disappearing down an aisle. Connor stepped closer to a display, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the various magic paraphernalia that graced the shop. He felt so helpless relying on this garbage to save Dawn's life. _I'd much rather be pummeling it out of something like Buffy and Gina_, he thought enviously.

"Here," the woman said, emerging a few moments later with a small basket full of supplies. She placed it on the counter and began ringing the items up, one by one. "A locator spell, I see."

Faith and Connor looked at each other in surprise. "Maybe," Faith said suspiciously.

The purple-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Please. Tumbleweed, snakeskin, chrysalis? That will be twenty-six fifty nine," she said dryly. Connor froze for a second, wondering if he had remembered to bring his wallet in his haste, but thankfully it was right there in his pocket. He pulled out some of the money he had been intending to spend on his dinner with Dawn, handing it to the woman.

"Do y'all know what you're doing? Locator spells are fairly advanced magic," she said ominously.

"We have good instructions," Faith said quickly, taking the bag of ingredients off the counter.

"The spell is very sensitive. I've found that it helps if the casters are entirely focused on what is lost. The stronger the will, the easier it will be to harness the magic." She stared straight at Connor as she said this, and he had the odd sensation that she was looking right through him.

"Um, okay. Thanks," he said, unable to leave the store fast enough. He could still feel the clerk's eyes watching him through the window as they exited the store and climbed back into the van. "I don't like this," he said for the twentieth time as he started the engine.

"Just drive somewhere quiet where we can do the spell," Faith demanded. "Look, I'd much rather be kicking the crap out of something right now too, but for now this is what we've got. Deal with it." He opened his mouth to retaliate, but nothing came out, so he just clamped it shut and pulled away from the curb. They drove in silence for about a minute before Faith pointed out the window. "Turn here." He obeyed, maneuvering the van into an abandoned alleyway. He slowly braked until the vehicle came to a stop. Opening the door, he got out and looked around. No signs of life.

"We're going to do it right here," Faith called to him, climbing over the seat into the back of the van that was usually used for transporting furniture. After taking one last look around he opened the back door and joined her, pulling it closed behind him. Faith was crouching on the floor of the van, laying out the spell ingredients in front of her, the crumpled sheet with Willow's instructions in the center.

Connor sat down across from her. "What can I do?"

"That piece of Dawn's sweater. Do you still have it?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, it's right here," Connor said, gingerly removing the black swatch of fabric from his pocket.

Faith unrolled the map of the city that the magic shop had inexplicably had in stock, spreading it out between them. "These spells _must_ be popular if they sell maps in a magic shop," she muttered.

"Okay, now what?" Connor said impatiently.

Faith examined her instructions. "I think we have to mix this stuff up," she said, gesturing to the array of ingredients.

"You _think_?" Connor exclaimed.

"Just mix!" she said, shoving a few bags of unidentifiable substances towards him. He glared at her before opening the largest bag and pouring the contents of the others inside. He assumed that this type of thing would generally be done in a bowl, but they would just have to be resourceful. He tried to stir the ingredients as best he could.

"Okay, now Willow said we have to say this incantation and pour this…stuff over the map, and it should show us where Dawn is."

"What do we do with this?" He gestured to the piece of sweater.

"She said that we should both touch it before we start to…focus our energy, or something like that," Faith said, the skepticism evident in her voice. She sat back, examining their set-up. "Are you ready?"

"Here goes nothing," he muttered. He fingered the piece of sweater before passing it to Faith, who did the same. Then she set the piece of fabric off to the side.

"Do you want to read it or should I?" she asked.

Connor blinked. "Um…you should do it."

"I feel like we should hold hands or something," Faith commented. Connor raised an eyebrow. "To, you know, combine our energy, dumbass. You really think I'd come onto you at a time like this?" Glaring at her, Connor reached across the map and took her hands in his awkwardly.

"So you read the thing, and then we pour this stuff on the map?" he asked, feeling completely ridiculous.

"Yeah, I guess so. Okay, try to focus." She paused. "To light the aura of the lost, help us find she that we seek. Skin of snake and chrysalis too, take these offerings and light the way. Take this, oh spirit, and my spell is done." Glancing at Connor, they separated their hands and picked up the bag together, gently pouring the sandy mixture over the map. Neither one spoke or even breathed as they waited for something to happen.

"This isn't-" Connor started to protest, but Faith held up a hand to silence him, her eyes wide as they stared at something on the map. He followed her gaze and sure enough, there was a tiny light gleaming at one point on the map. It was small, but it was bright and strong.

"Holy crap, it actually worked," Faith said in disbelief.

Connor scrambled around to the other side to see where the light was pointing. "She's across town, in one of those old warehouses. Dammit, I wish this map was more detailed."

"Hey, it's more than we had before, we know where to go now," Faith reassured him. They continued to stare at the light until it flickered out, signaling that the spell had worn off. "Well, chalk one up for Red and her mojo."

Connor was already halfway to the front seat. "Call Buffy and Gina. If they're close we can pick them up on our way to the warehouse."

Faith quickly tossed the spell supplies into the bag and pulled out the cell phone, moving towards the front as Connor started the engine. He pulled away from the curb, adrenaline rushing through his veins. "Just hang on, Dawn. I'm coming. Just hang on," he said.

* * *

"Where's a freaking vampire when you need one," Buffy muttered, walking slowly through a cemetery with Gina by her side. This was the third graveyard they'd visited, and they had yet to see a single vampire or demon that could possibly know anything about Dawn.

Gina looked anxious. "Do you think Connor and Faith's spell worked?"

"If it did, they'll call. But in the meantime we have to assume it didn't." Honestly, Buffy didn't have a lot of confidence in the unlikely duo's magical abilities, despite the fact that they could call Willow for guidance. Although Connor was very open about how much he loathed magic, maybe his desperation would be enough to make the spell work. But she was not leaving her sister's survival up to a longshot spell performed by two nonbelievers with virtually no magic experience. No, pummeling information out of something was a tried and true method that had led her to very favorable results in the past. All she needed now was something to pummel.

"Buffy!" Gina hissed suddenly, gripping her arm and pulling her down behind the nearest mausoleum. She pointed to where a vampire was stalking between the graves, his head down. Buffy gestured with her hands so that Gina would know what she had in mind. The young slayer nodded, and they took off in opposite directions. As Buffy ran up behind the vampire, he whirled and lashed out at her. Buffy easily ducked to avoid the blow while Gina tackled the distracted vampire from behind, pinning him to the ground.

"Oww, what the 'ell? I wasn't botherin' no one!" the vampire said in a thick Irish accent. A wave of nostalgia swam over Buffy as she immediately thought of another Irish vampire she knew, but she fought it and quickly focused back on the task at hand.

"We need information. Tell us what you know and we'll let you go," she said. Gina gave her a startled look that Buffy responded to with a fierce gaze. "Do you know of any rituals or plots that might be going down tonight involving a girl?"

"A girl? What are ya talkin' about?" Buffy nodded and Gina jammed her knee into the vampire's neck, causing him to yell out in pain. "Alright, alright! Maybe I did hear o' somethin."

Buffy squatted on the ground. "What did you hear?"

"A few other vamps, they was talkin' about raising a demon. Don't know which one, just that it's real powerful. They mentioned a ritual, I swear I didn't hear nothin' about no girl, though!"

"Do you know where this ritual was going down?" Buffy demanded.

"No, no clue. I'm sorry, that's all I know!"

"Buffy, my phone's vibrating," Gina said suddenly, nodding her head towards her jacket pocket without loosening her grip on the vampire. Buffy reached into the other girl's pocket, removing the phone and flipping it open.

"The spell worked, we know where she is," Faith said immediately. "Where are you?"

"We're in the cemetery on _Spinta Rosa_," Buffy said, naming the street. She heard Faith say something to Connor, who said something back. "Okay, he says we'll be there in five minutes."

"Wait, are you in a car?" Buffy asked, hearing the faint sound of an engine in the background.

"Long story. Be ready." They hung up, and Buffy turned back to Gina, who was wrestling with the vampire as he tried to break loose.

"Get up," she said to Gina. The Italian girl hesitated before obeying, leaving the vampire to scramble to his feet excitedly. He didn't get very far in his escape, since Buffy grabbed his collar as he stood, jabbing a stake through his heart. He barely had a chance to look surprised before he turned to dust.

Gina looked relieved. "I didn't know what you were talking about when you said we'd let him go," she commented as she brushed off her pants.

"That was Faith, the spell worked and they know where Dawn is. They're going to pick us up in a couple of minutes."

Gina's eyes lit up. "Oh, thank goodness! Wait…what do you mean 'pick us up'?"

"Apparently they're in a car. I don't even want to know," Buffy muttered, starting to think that perhaps sending Faith and Connor off unsupervised was not the brightest idea. "Come on, if we go to the road we'll be able to see them when they get here." They hurried back across the cemetery, following the light from the streetlamps on the road.

"You think this ritual is where Dawn is?" Gina asked nervously.

"Yeah, I do," Buffy said grimly.

Just as they reached the street a large moving van came careening around the corner. As it screeched to a halt in front of them Buffy noted the Rome Movers and Co. logo on the side with dismay, but decided not to question it. At the moment, all that mattered was Dawn. The back door of the van creaked open and Faith yelled for them to get in. Buffy and Gina jumped up into the van, and Connor was accelerating before they could even shut the door.

"Tell me what you know," Buffy demanded as soon as they were safely inside. Faith turned sideways in the passenger seat so that she could face Buffy and Gina.

"We did the locator spell, and it showed that Dawn is in a warehouse across town. Did you find out anything?"

"The one vamp we found didn't know much, but he did mention a ritual going down tonight, a raising of some demon. Probably why they're in a warehouse. How far?" Buffy asked impatiently.

"Ten minutes," Connor said tightly. Looking at him, Buffy noted that he was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white. She was surprised it hadn't come off in his hands by now. Buffy closed her eyes for a second, praying that they wouldn't be too late.

"Where did you get this car?" Gina asked, breaking the tense silence.

"You saw the logo. Where do you _think_ we got it?" Faith chuckled under her breath. "Hey, believe it or not it was all his idea."

They were on a main road now where there was actually a little bit of traffic, despite the late hour. Connor groaned angrily when he was forced to stop at a red light. As Buffy watched his eyes gleam with impatience and his hands clench the steering wheel, the resemblance to Angel at his most frustrated nearly made her shiver. Sometimes the similarities between father and son were downright eerie.

The light turned green and Buffy fell backwards as Connor pushed the gas pedal to the floor. She caught herself with a hand, using the other to steady Gina. The young slayer's eyes were wide, and Buffy knew she was scared. Gina had never seen Connor this angry, or been faced with a life-or-death situation involving one of her friends. Unfortunately, Buffy was no stranger to this.

Not that it made it any easier.

"We're almost there," Connor practically growled.

Buffy checked her pockets for weapons. "Okay, I don't know what we're going to find when we get there. But the most important thing is to get to Dawn. Kill anything that gets in your way…anything that's not human," she quickly added, glancing at Faith and remembering the time years ago when Faith's overzealousness had led them both down a very dark road.

"What if they already did this ritual? What could we be up against?" Faith asked.

"All the vamp in the cemetery said was that it's something really powerful. We're just going to have to figure this one out as we go along," Buffy responded grimly. They were in a much quieter part of town now, with narrower roads and fewer streetlights to guide their way. "Do you guys know which warehouse she's in? Isn't there a bunch of them?" Sure enough, Connor rounded a corner to reveal a road lined completely with warehouses on both sides.

"Shit, it was hard to tell specifics from that map," Faith muttered.

"There," Connor cried suddenly. He accelerated to a frightening speed, zooming towards a warehouse straight ahead at the far end of the street. Buffy opened her mouth to question what he was doing before she thought better of it. She had underestimated Connor's connection to her sister before. She knew that if she was the one being held captive, Angel would somehow know where to find her.

"Connor, slow down, what the hell," Faith yelled suddenly. Snapping out of her thoughts, Buffy noticed with a start that the huge wooden doors of the warehouse were looming closer and closer, and Connor's foot was nowhere near the brake. She realized what he was doing only a second before he drove straight into the building with a crash as the doors shattered around them. Someone screamed, and Buffy and Gina were both thrown backwards by the impact, sliding across the floor of the van until they hit the back doors. The ear-splitting squeal of brakes filled the air as they skidded to a stop.

Barely stopping to think, the four of them tumbled out of the van, getting the first look at the scene that awaited them.

About a dozen pissed off vampires, looking utterly shocked at what had just occurred, were staring at them and yelling. They were all gathered around a swirling column of light…and on the floor in the center of it was Dawn, sitting motionless with her arms above her head in shackles and her head slumped over.

"Dawn!" Connor shouted, breaking into a run. Immediately about half of the vampires moved to block his path, but he easily threw them to the side, with help from the three slayers. Buffy, Faith, and Gina successfully drew the vampires back away from the column of light, each taking on about four of them at once.

Connor reached Dawn and fell to his knees, his heart stopping when he realized that there was blood dripping from deep gashes on her raised arms. She was sitting on some sort of crudely drawn seal from which the column of light was rising and crackling. "Dawn, I'm here, please talk to me," he begged, raising her head and feeling her neck for a pulse. After a few agonizing seconds he located it. It was weak, but there. Barely allowing himself a sigh of relief, he turned his attention to undoing her bonds. The shackles that held her arms were made of heavy metal, and the only weapon he had on him, a stake, would be useless against them. He made a futile attempt to rip them apart with his bare hands, but failed.

"_Connor!_" He turned just in time to see Buffy throwing him an axe from the bag of weapons he had forgotten she had. He caught it swiftly with one hand and took a swing at the metal chains, which broke on the third try. Dawn crumpled to the floor; he tossed the axe aside and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her away from the swirling light before laying her down to assess the damage. She was unconscious, and her arms bore matching vertical slashes that were at least five inches long each. The blood blended into her red dress, but from the lack of color in her cheeks he knew that she had lost quite a lot of it. He peeled off his jacket and pressed it on the wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Come on, Dawn. Please, I'm here now, wake up." He glanced around frantically. Buffy, Gina, and Faith were heavily engaged in combat with the vampires. His first thought was to take Dawn to the van and drive her straight to the hospital, but he was hesitant to abandon the others, even though he knew Buffy would tell him to go. Connor reached down and touched Dawn's cheek. "You're so pale. Please, can you hear me? Come back to me," he begged, wrapping her bleeding arms in his jacket as tightly as he could.

Her eyelids fluttered and he nearly sobbed with joy. "Dawn! Dawn," he said encouragingly.

"C-Connor?" she moaned weakly, struggling to open her eyes. "I…I knew you'd come…" her eyes began to close again.

"No! You have to stay awake Dawn, okay? Look, I'm going to get you out of here, we're going to get you to the hospital and you're going to be fine," Connor said firmly, not wanting her to pass out again.

"The d-demon…we need to g-get out of here…raised…" she muttered somewhat incoherently.

Connor glanced nervously at the crackling column of light. He didn't know the specifics of the ritual, but it was very possible that the seal had already received enough of Dawn's blood for the demon to rise. He looked up to see how the slayers were doing. The vampires' numbers seemed to have shrunk by a few, but the three women were still heavily engaged in battle. _The van. I need to get her to the van._ "Okay, I'm going to pick you up. Everything's going to be fine," he said soothingly. He scooped her up gingerly in his arms and she leaned into him. Connor ran swiftly around the battle to the back doors of the van, laying Dawn down on the floor inside.

"Connor! Go, take Dawn and go, we've got this," Buffy yelled to him as she ducked a punch from one of the vampires.

He looked into the van frantically, trying to determine the best way to transport Dawn. If he simply left her laying on the floor, she could slide around as he drove. _I'm going to have to put her in the passenger seat_, he decided.

But before he could take action, a sound of an explosion erupted from the center of the warehouse. Stepping to the side to look, Connor realized with dread that the column of light had disappeared, and in its place was a very large demon. It had dark red skin and two gleaming holes where its eyes should be, and it was roaring at the top of its lungs. Connor swore under his breath.

"Connor? What's wrong?" Dawn cried faintly, trying to open her eyes.

He dashed back to her side, grabbing one of her hands. "It's the demon. I need to go help Buffy and the others. Just stay here. I'm going to kill it and then I'll be right back, and we're going to get you some help." He leaned in and kissed her pale lips. "I love you." Before she could respond he was off and running towards the action.

Faith had picked up the axe Connor had used to free Dawn from her shackles, and she was running at the demon with it. All but five of the vampires had been dusted, and Buffy and Gina were rotating back to back in a circle trying to finish them off. Looking more carefully at the demon, Connor realized that it had long spikes where its fingers should be. The entire warehouse shook as it took giant steps towards Faith. Connor reached her side just in time, suddenly wishing he had a weapon other than a stake. As the demon bore down upon them, he thought fast and drove the stake straight through the creature's foot. The thing let out a horrible roar of pain as it swayed.

"Great job, now it's really pissed off!" Faith yelled at him. "What are you doing, get Dawn out of here. I've got this!"

"Faith, be careful!" he yelled as she ran forward wielding the axe. She screamed something to get the demon's attention, and as it swung around she threw the axe in a perfect, spinning arc through the air. The blade landed in the center of the demon's face and it fell backwards with a horrible shriek. Faith found Connor's eyes, smiling triumphantly. "See? I-"

"NO!" Connor screamed in horror as a vampire appeared from out of nowhere and snapped Faith's neck mid-sentence. He watched, frozen, as her lifeless body crumpled to the ground. He heard an anguished scream from somewhere behind him as Buffy and Gina realized what had happened.

"For Condannare!" the vampire who killed Faith bellowed.

When he could move again, Connor charged at the vampire, blinded by rage. "You son of a bitch!" he roared, pulling his back-up stake out of his jacket and driving it into the vampire's chest with more venom than ever before. As Faith's killer turned to dust, he stood there motionless, willing himself not to look at the fallen slayer at his feet.

"Connor! A little help!" Buffy called to him, her voice oddly strained. Forcing himself to snap out of it, he ran over to where Buffy and Gina had the group of vampires down to three. He quickly finished off two of them with barely a thought, and Buffy dusted the third. Then it was only the three of them left standing. Buffy's eyes met Connor's and he saw his own shock and grief reflected back at him.

"What happened," Buffy half-whispered, the vast warehouse now eerily silent.

"She killed the demon…and a vampire came up behind her. I didn't even see it until it was too late," Connor confessed.

"It was my fault. I was fighting him, I let him out of my sight," Gina said, tears streaming down her face.

Connor shook his head firmly. "No. It was not your fault. She just let her guard down for a second, and…" his voice trailed off. They stood there in a moment of silent mourning.

"Are you sure it's dead?" Buffy asked with watery eyes, gesturing to the demon.

Connor turned and walked toward it slowly. He pulled the bloody axe from its head and, just to be safe, cut off the demon's head with one swift blow. "Yeah." He held the axe in his hands, the last weapon Faith had ever used.

_Dawn_. In all of the chaos, he had almost forgotten that she was still in the van. He sprinted towards the stolen vehicle, still clutching the axe. His heart sank when he saw that Dawn's eyes were closed again. Once again feeling desperately for a pulse, he was relieved to detect the faint throbbing, still present. He darted back around the truck, calling for Buffy and Gina. "Dawn's weak, she lost a lot of blood. We need to get her to the hospital now."

Buffy was kneeling beside Faith, and Connor watched as she closed the eyes of her fellow slayer. Rising, Buffy turned to him. "Come help me. We can't leave her here. Gina, get in the van with Dawn." The tear-streaked Italian girl nodded feebly.

Together, Connor and Buffy carried Faith's body to the van. Gina let out a strangled sob as they loaded Faith in next to Dawn, with no other place to put her. "Gina, go sit in front, I'll stay with Dawn. Connor, drive to the hospital." They obeyed without argument, relieved to have someone else take charge. As Connor started the ignition, Buffy knelt beside her sister, examining her wounds and talking to her quietly. Connor turned the van around and drove out through the hole they had created earlier, no one saying a word as they drove through the dark streets of Rome to the hospital.

* * *

TBC! Please review! 


	27. Chapter 27: Fallen Warrior

A/N: My sincerest apologies for the major cliffhanger. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews of the last chapter. I especially enjoy hearing from people who have just discovered this series and read the entire thing right away...welcome! This is a nice long chapter for you guys. After this one I have four more chapters planned, so keep reading, and as always, feedback is love!

* * *

Chapter 27: Fallen Warrior

A half hour later, Connor paced a hole in the waiting area of the emergency room. He had rushed an unconscious Dawn inside, and a team of doctors and nurses had immediately whisked her away. He had tried to follow, but they had forced him to stay in the waiting room. When they had asked how Dawn had gotten such deep wounds, he had simply said that she was mugged. He knew that if he had told the truth, that Dawn had been a sacrifice in a ritual to raise a demon of hell, he would have been escorted directly to the psych ward.

"Connor, please sit," Gina pleaded. She was sitting rigidly in one of the plastic chairs, her eyes wide with the trauma of the past few hours.

"I can't, not until I know she's okay. Why haven't they told us anything by now?" he complained.

Buffy entered the waiting area, which was thankfully deserted save for the three of them. "I called Giles. He has a contact who is going to help us deal with the…with Faith." Connor stopped pacing for a moment and they all just looked at each other. Obviously, they wanted Faith to receive a proper burial, but after they had left the scene and taken her body with them, there was no way for them to report her death that wouldn't make the whole thing look incredibly suspicious.

"How is that going to work?" Connor asked quietly.

"Someone is going to meet us here soon and take her. They can pull strings to get her back to the US. I think she would want to be buried there…in New York, with Robin." Connor nodded in silent agreement.

"And we have to decide what to do about the van. It's not exactly inconspicuous," Buffy continued, attempting to take care of details while they all waited anxiously for news on Dawn.

Connor groaned and put a hand to his head. "We'd planned to bring it back before they open in the morning." He glanced at the clock. Somehow, it was only 1:30am. It was incredible that it had only been a little more than six hours since Dawn had failed to show up for their date. It felt more like six years. "I guess we still could. But I'm not leaving this hospital until I know that Dawn is okay," he said firmly.

Buffy nodded. "I don't want to either, but someone needs to go meet Giles's guy at the van."

"I'll go." Gina stood up. "You both should be here with Dawn."

Buffy looked at Gina with concern. "Gina, you don't have to do this. It's been a rough night…"

"No, it's fine. Call my phone if there is news about Dawn." Without another word, she quietly left the waiting area.

Buffy sank into the chair the other slayer had vacated, dropping her head onto her lap. Connor continued pacing. Neither of them said a word.

It was 2am by the time a doctor finally came. Buffy leapt out of her chair and Connor practically charged at the man. "How is she?" he demanded.

"Well, she lost a lot of blood. We had to give her a transfusion as well as a dozen stitches on each arm. She also has a mild concussion, so we'll have to keep her here at least overnight for observation. But she's lucky in that there will be no permanent damage."

Buffy and Connor both let out audible sighs of relief. "Is she awake?" Buffy asked excitedly.

"Just barely. I can let you both see her for a few minutes, but please bear in mind that she's heavily medicated and needs her rest," the doctor warned. "You can follow me."

The two of them followed the doctor down the hallway and into a long room that was partitioned into sections with curtains. They passed a few other patients before reaching Dawn. She was wearing a hospital gown and attached to an IV and a monitor. Connor had never seen her look so fragile. She turned her head slowly as she heard them come in, and managed a weak smile. "Hi."

"Oh thank God." Connor rushed to her side and kissed her on her forehead, taking her hands in his. Buffy went around the other side of the bed and smoothed her sister's hair out of her face. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts…a lot. And I just feel really weak and like I could sleep for a month," Dawn said dazedly. She swallowed. "I'm sorry. I was walking to your apartment for our date, and they came out of nowhere and grabbed me-"

Connor shushed her. "Don't you dare apologize." His eyes met Buffy's and she gave him a somber look. Dawn didn't know about Faith.

Even sedated, Dawn saw something pass between her boyfriend and her sister. "What is that look for? What happened?" Neither of them said anything.

"Hey, I'm going to go call Willow and Giles and let them know you're okay. They've been going crazy." Buffy leaned in and kissed her sister's forehead. "Don't let him keep you up too long, you need your sleep." She squeezed Dawn's hand and headed out of the room, pausing to touch Connor's shoulder and give him a small smile.

Once they were alone, Dawn looked intently at Connor. "Please tell me what's wrong. Is it the demon? Did it rise?" Dawn's eyes were wide and fearful, and Connor could tell that every muscle in her body was fighting just to stay awake.

Connor nodded slowly. "Yes, the demon did rise. But Faith killed it almost right away."

Dawn visibly relaxed. "Oh, good." She noticed that Connor had closed his eyes. "Wait…if it's not that, then what is it?"

Connor struggled to find the right words. "I don't know how much you remember…but aside from the demon, there were a bunch of vampires. Buffy, Faith, Gina and I fought them."

Dawn started to sit up. "Oh God, Gina-"

"No, Gina's fine. It's Faith. She…she didn't make it."

Dawn's mouth fell open and tears welled up in her eyes. "What? No, no, you said she killed the demon!"

"She did. The last thing she did probably saved us all. But then a vampire came up behind her, and there was nothing we could do," he stated quietly.

Dawn stared up at the ceiling as tears started to trickle down her face. Connor stood and gently pulled her to him. She wrapped her heavily bandaged arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. "She died saving me," she sobbed.

After a moment he gently layed her back down on her pillows and wiped away her tears. "You really need to sleep. You've been through so much."

Dawn nodded wearily. "Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

He smiled. "Of course." He sat there by her bedside, holding her hand. Her eyes closed almost immediately, and only seconds passed before her deep breathing let him know that she had dozed off.

* * *

Buffy leaned against the wall in the hospital and rubbed her eyes. She had called Willow and Giles to report that Dawn was awake and going to be fine. She had also broken the news about Faith to Willow, who had grown very quiet. It was no secret that the two had never liked each other, but the news still came as a shock.

There was still one more call that Buffy knew she had to make, but she was putting it off as long as possible. She didn't know if she could handle hearing his voice right now.

"Hey," Gina said, walking down the hallway towards her. "Giles's friend came. He took her."

Buffy nodded. "Good news, Dawn's awake. The doctor said that she's going to be fine."

"Ringraziare il signore," Gina muttered gratefully in Italian.

"Look, why don't you let me call you a cab to take you home. In the morning we can all come back and visit Dawn," Buffy said.

Gina nodded hesitantly. Just then, Connor rounded the corner to join them. "She's asleep," he reported.

"Did you tell her?" Buffy asked. Connor nodded grimly.

"Oh! Amelia called. I feel bad, she waited and waited all night at your house and we forgot to tell her what happened," Gina added. "But she was very happy to hear that Dawn is okay. I think she went home. I told her she can come and visit in the morning." Buffy nodded absently, wondering how much longer they would be able to keep Amelia in the dark about everything.

"Okay. Well why don't we get a cab to bring us home. Connor, are you going to…" Buffy tilted her head.

He nodded wearily. "I suppose returning it damaged is better than not returning it at all."

"Be careful," Buffy cautioned him. The three of them stared at each other in silence for a minute before heading their separate ways.

* * *

Thankfully, it was still pitch black when Connor pulled up to Rome Movers and Co. He parked the van at the curb and hopped out, checking first to make sure no one was around. This time he went straight to the garage doors and since he had left the dead bolt off, he was able to open it manually. He went back to the van and drove it inside, carefully parking it exactly where he had found it. Taking the key out of the ignition and getting out, he surveyed the damage. The front end of the van was banged up and dented quite badly from when he had driven through the doors of the warehouse. The damage was instantly noticeable. With a sigh, he returned the keys to their proper hook. He considered dead-bolting the doors and exiting through the window, but finally he just settled with leaving the doors unlocked. He didn't have the energy, and the fact that there had been a break-in would be immediately obvious because of the state of the van anyway. If there were an investigation, it would not be suspicious that his fingerprints were all over since he was an employee.

He closed up the garage and stood on the sidewalk, trying to figure out what to do next. He started to put his hands in his pockets, but his fingers hit the ring box that he had almost forgotten about completely. Connor slowly took it out and flipped it open, studying the ring he had intended to put on Dawn's finger earlier. So much for finding the perfect moment.

When he got home, he sat and stared at the ring for a while before tucking it away in a kitchen cupboard where he knew Dawn would never stumble across it. He couldn't ask her now, with everything that had happened. When he did, he wanted her to know that it was because he loved her, and not because she had nearly died. With the cloud of Faith's death looming over them, he knew that it was simply not the right time. So he put the ring away, knowing that it would be there when the right day came.

* * *

Buffy walked into the apartment, absentmindedly flicking on the light switch. She sank down on one of the kitchen stools, so drained that she felt as if her legs couldn't hold her anymore.

Her eyes fell on a pile of stuff in the corner of the living room. Faith's clothes. During the past few months that she'd been living there, Buffy had been constantly annoyed by the other slayer's habit of leaving her stuff strewn everywhere. Never again was Faith going to lean back on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table.

Something about that thought made the reality of the situation truly set in, even more than when Buffy had carried Faith's dead body. Before she could stop it, a sob escaped her body, and from there she couldn't stop. Buffy sat on the stool sobbing loudly for reasons that she didn't even fully understand. Her relationship with Faith had been messy at best. Faith's death and Dawn's abduction were just too much for Buffy's already fragile emotional state.

She cried for a good ten minutes before the sobs tapered off and became gasps. Buffy stumbled off the stool and went to the sink, splashing water on her face and wiping it with a paper towel. In a strange way she felt cleansed by her little episode.

She waited until her breathing had regulated itself before reaching for the phone. After putting off this call all night, she finally felt strong enough to make it now. With the tears behind her, she could resume being strong, confident Buffy.

"Angel Investigations," he answered from around the world. She could tell by the tone in his voice that he had known who it was before even picking up the phone.

"Hi," she said quietly. She paused, searching for the right words. "Something happened tonight."

* * *

The next morning Connor was waiting by the doors of the hospital at nine, a bunch of yellow roses in his hand, waiting for visiting hours to begin. As soon as the clock changed, he strode into the hospital and right down the corridor. He walked quietly past the other sleeping patients and paused outside Dawn's cubicle, peering in to see if she was awake. Her eyes were open, and she was staring absently across the room. He cleared his throat, and she snapped out of it, turning her head to focus on him. "Hi," she said quietly. She smiled when she saw the flowers. "They're beautiful, but you really didn't have to do that."

He set them on the bedside table and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. "You look better already."

"I feel better. I want to get out of here," she said.

"I know. We'll see what the doctors say. You had a concussion, so they just needed to keep an eye on you for a while." He perched on the edge of her bed. "Did you get some sleep?"

Dawn shrugged. "Not really. I couldn't stop thinking about…about Faith."

"Same," Connor agreed quietly.

"I just can't believe she's really gone." Tears started to well up in Dawn's eyes again. "Connor…w-where is she now? What is going to happen to her?"

"Giles helped us get her back to the US. We think that she'd want to be buried in New York, with Robin. I think he was the closest thing to family she had in a long time," Connor said.

Dawn nodded. "I think she'd like that." She paused. "Is there going to be a funeral?"

"I don't know," Connor said honestly. "We haven't figured out the details yet."

"She should have one. Nothing big though, no flowers. She wouldn't have liked that." Dawn was crying now, and she lifted a bandaged arm to try to wipe the tears off her face. "It's funny, you know. For a long time Faith and I hated each other. But ever since she came back, she was different. I don't know if you could say we were friends, but we…" She let out a little sob.

Connor put his arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, I know."

"It's just all my fault! If I had been more careful, if I hadn't been kidnapped that demon never would have risen, and she would still be here," Dawn sobbed.

"No, you listen to me." Connor gripped her shoulders gently and looked straight into her eyes. "You _can't_ blame yourself. Faith was a slayer, she fought battles like that almost every day. It was her calling. She died doing what she was born to do. She was a hero last night, Dawn."

Dawn lay back against the pillows, wiping her hands across her face. "I know she was. And I know that blaming myself won't bring her back, but I just can't help it. You know, I thought things were going to be better here. I thought that once we left Sunnydale we would finally get a break from all of this, but the evil just follows us wherever we go."

They were both quiet for a moment. "I didn't tell you this, but last night when we were trying to find you, Faith and I did a locator spell," Connor said, attempting to lighten the mood slightly.

He saw the vaguest hints of a smile at the corners of Dawn's lips. "Wait, you? Did a spell? You hate magic," she said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I do. But we were desperate, and it seemed like the best idea, so we did it. We had no idea what we were doing, I can't believe it even worked. But it's how we figured out where you were," Connor explained. He glanced around to make sure no one was listening before leaning in closer. "And we stole a moving van from my work."

Dawn's jaw dropped. "You didn't."

"Yeah, we did. I brought it back though…I don't think it will ever quite look the same again, but it's in one piece…more or less," he said with a wry grin.

"Connor, if anyone ever finds out, you'll be fired!" Dawn said, her eyes wide. "I can't believe you did all that for me."

"I would have done anything," he said honestly. They leaned in and kissed again, longer this time, until they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. They broke apart and looked up to see Buffy standing there, holding a small suitcase.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said awkwardly.

"No, it's fine. Come in," Dawn said. Buffy wordlessly walked to her sister's side and enveloped her in a hug.

"You look so much better. You're so strong," Buffy said, smoothing her sister's hair. "I brought you some clothes for when you get to go home. Oh, Amelia and Gina are going to come by later."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "Amelia? She doesn't know anything…how did you explain this?"

"We didn't really. Not yet. Gina talked to her."

"Maybe we should just tell her. She can be trusted, Buffy, I know she can," Dawn said confidently.

"I know. Last night when we didn't know where you were she sat by the phone at our apartment all night. She's a good friend," Buffy agreed.

Dawn nodded slowly, obviously wanting to ask something, but unsure if she should. "Buffy…Connor and I were wondering. Is there going to be a memorial for Faith?"

"I talked to Angel. He said that he'd pay for us to fly to New York for the burial. We're going to wait until you're strong enough to travel," Buffy added.

"How did he take the news?" Connor asked, speaking for the first time since Buffy's arrival.

Buffy turned her head to look at him. "He was sad. He and Faith were…close, once." She didn't elaborate, and no one pressed for more details of her phone call with Angel. "But don't worry. She'll get a proper memorial, like she deserves." Dawn nodded.

"Good morning, Miss Summers," a doctor said suddenly, startling all of them. Buffy looked back to see the same doctor from last night standing there with a clipboard.

"Oh, hi," Dawn said. "Can I go home?"

The doctor chuckled at her impatience. "That's what I'm here to determine." He peered at the monitor by her bedside and began jotting down numbers on his clipboard. "How are you feeling this morning? Any headaches, blurred vision, dizziness?"

"Well, I still feel weak, and my head hurts a little bit, but it's so much better than yesterday," Dawn said.

The doctor nodded. "Well, your vitals look strong. I just want to run a few more tests and check on those stitches, but you should be able to go home this afternoon. But it's vital that you take it easy for a few days." Dawn nodded eagerly.

"Doctor, I have a question. How long will it be before she's up to traveling, or flying? We've had a death in…in the family, and we're going to have to go home to the US."

"My condolences. I would recommend waiting at least three to four days. Her body has suffered pretty severe trauma, and an overseas flight is taxing. But if she gets plenty of rest the next few days, it should be fine."

"Thank you," Buffy said.

"Okay Miss Summers, I'm going to send a nurse in to collect you, and we'll run a few tests. If everything comes back okay, we can start the paperwork for your release." Dawn smiled and nodded as the doctor left the room.

"Did you hear that? You have to take it easy when we get you home," Connor reminded her, knowing full well that his stubborn girlfriend would try to push herself too far.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I know. But I'm going to be fine…I wish they would take these bandages off." She scratched at her arms.

Suddenly there was a flurry of activity and Amelia and Gina entered the cubicle. Amelia was holding a large bunch of balloons from the gift shop and Gina had a little pink teddy bear holding a box of chocolates. "Oh, hey guys," Dawn said with a smile.

"Dawn, thank God you're okay. I was so scared," Amelia said, releasing the balloons, which floated to the ceiling, as she ran to Dawn's side to give her a gentle hug. She lightly touched the bandages on her friend's arms and glanced worriedly at the IV by her bedside. "What on earth happened?" Gina approached from the other side of the bed and kissed Dawn on the cheek, murmuring something in Italian.

Dawn looked at her sister and Connor, unsure of what to say. "Well, uh, I had a little accident when I was on my way to meet Connor last night. I had to get some stitches and I have a little concussion, but otherwise I'm going to be fine," she said lightly.

But Amelia wasn't satisfied. "Stitches? A _concussion_? Were you mugged? Who did this to you?" The usually reserved girl was suddenly being almost irritatingly persistent.

Dawn was saved when a nurse entered with a wheelchair, looking slightly taken aback at the number of people crammed into the small space. "Hello, I'm here to take you to run a few simple tests," she said with a thick Italian accent. She parked the wheelchair next to the bed and Connor gripped Dawn around the waist to help her stand. She sat down in the chair and he kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back," Dawn said to everyone, waving as the nurse wheeled her from the room.

Amelia didn't waste a second before turning to Buffy, Connor, and Gina. "Look, I'm not stupid. I know that you all know something that I don't. I sat by your phone all night while you all went and did God knows what, and I think that someone needs to tell me what the _hell_ is going on."

Buffy blinked. She didn't know Amelia very well, but she had never heard her so outspoken. She closed her eyes for a second and sighed. "You're right. There are some things we need to tell you. But this is not the place," she said, glancing around at the flimsy curtains that separated them from the other patients.

"Well can we go somewhere that is?" Amelia demanded.

Buffy nodded. "Come take a walk with me and I'll explain everything. Connor, Gina, wait here until Dawn gets back." They nodded and Buffy led Amelia out of the room.

Connor sighed, sitting down on the bed. "That's going to be a fun conversation."

"I think Amelia can be trusted. She would have figured it out," Gina said.

"I know, but it's still not easy to swallow. I just hope she can handle it," Connor replied. He looked up at Gina. "How are you?"

Gina shrugged. "I don't sleep. I keep seeing the demon. I was responsible for the vampire that killed her, and I failed. I let him get away."

Connor shook his head firmly. "You can't keep doing that to yourself. What happened to Faith was no one's fault. The situation just got out of control."

"Does it get better?" Gina said suddenly.

"What?" Connor asked, confused.

"Seeing people you know die. I had never seen that before. I have only been a slayer a few months now. I go to cemeteries with Buffy, but I never see a big battle. I don't know if I'm good enough to be a slayer," Gina confessed.

Connor's heart went out to the girl. "Gina, of course you're good enough. For your first big battle, you were really brave. And…I don't know. After a while, you do kind of get used to it. I mean, we were both born into this life. You just have to keep fighting, and it's part of the job that you're going to lose people along the way. But when it's someone you care about…no. It doesn't get easier." He stared down at the floor.

"You were so good. You worry so much about Dawn but you stay focused," Gina said with admiration. She shook her head. "If James were missing, I don't know what I do."

Connor gave her a half-smile. "You really care about him, don't you?"

Gina nodded shyly. "He's the first man who ever loved me for me."

"It's the same way with me and Dawn," Connor added. "I don't think I could live without her. But I had to just put that out of my mind. I knew she needed me, and I couldn't afford to think about anything else." He shrugged. "It's not easy."

"I look at Buffy and I don't know how she has done this for so long. She's so strong," Gina commented.

Connor thought about that for a second. "Sometimes I don't think she's as strong as she acts. She's had it hard. But she's a great leader."

Gina sighed. "Do you ever wish your life could go back to normal?"

Connor laughed darkly. "I wouldn't know. I never had a normal life. Not even sure I understand the concept." He looked at her. "I suppose that's good for me because you can't miss what you never had." They both sat in silence for a few moments.

They both looked up at the sound of footsteps. The nurse wheeled a smiling Dawn back to her bed. "I can go home!" she said with relief.

Connor hurried over to kiss her on the head. "That's great news."

"I'll get the paperwork for your release," the nurse said, and Dawn thanked her before she left the room.

"Do you want to sit on the bed?" Connor asked.

Dawn nodded, holding up a hand in protest as he reached out to help her. "No, I can do this." Slowly she used her arms to pull her weak body to a standing position before taking a few tentative steps towards the bed. With a triumphant look on her face, she sat down. "See? I'm fine."

Connor shook his head. "You're something else."

"Where are Amelia and Buffy?" Dawn asked.

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Buffy's talking to her. She's going to tell her everything."

Dawn nodded slowly. She had mixed feelings about Amelia being involved in their little circle. On one hand it would be a relief to no longer have to lie to her friend, but a part of her also mourned for the loss of Amelia's innocence that would accompany learning the horrifying truths that Buffy was currently telling her.

Moments later Buffy returned. Following behind her was Amelia. Despite her friend's composed appearance, Dawn could tell that she was very shaken by her wide eyes and nervous movements. Tearing her eyes away from Amelia to look at Buffy, Dawn delivered the good news. "Doctors said I'm clear to go home."

Buffy nodded and smiled. "Good."

Dawn hesitantly made eye contact with Amelia. "Are you okay?"

Amelia seemed to consider that for a moment. "Yeah. I mean...I don't know. It's a lot to absorb. But now that I think about it, a lot of stuff that's happened since I met you makes a weird kind of sense now."

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "Story of my life. But really...do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I think I'm still processing. But I just can't believe...last night." She shook her head in wonder. "You're lucky to be alive."

"Trust me, I know." Dawn's head dropped a little bit as she thought of Faith. "I know."

* * *

"Here we are," Buffy said, unlocking the door and flipping the light switch as she entered the apartment. Connor followed behind her, his arm firmly around Dawn's waist, supporting her as she walked. Buffy purposely diverted her gaze from the pile of Faith's things in the living room. She had considered putting them away in order to not upset Dawn, but in the end hadn't been able to bring herself to do so just yet. Faith's mess had become a part of life in the apartment, and she almost didn't want to see it go.

"Let me sit down for a second. I can do it," Dawn said stubbornly, defiantly wriggling herself out of Connor's grasp and walking slowly but steadily to one of the kitchen stools.

"You need to rest. Amelia said that she'll help you stay caught up with schoolwork until you're feeling better," Buffy called over her shoulder as she brought Dawn's suitcase into her bedroom.

Dawn nodded, thinking. "Buffy?" Her sister emerged from the bedroom and looked at her expensively. "After that, when I'm better...I want to go to the US. To bury Faith. I think we owe her that."

Buffy glanced at Connor. She had been expecting Dawn to say that. Logically, it would not be wise. Dawn would miss even more school, and the trip would be long, not to mention expensive. But she had discussed this option with Angel, who had offered to pay for the three of them to fly to the states. And, she had to admit, it was something that she really wanted to do herself. After a long moment, she nodded. "We can do that."

Dawn relaxed a little bit, pleased with her sister's answer. "And...one more thing. Can Connor stay here tonight? Please? It's not like we'd even do anything...I just need him."

Buffy sighed, looking at Connor, who was standing awkwardly next to the counter. "Yes. He can stay."

Dawn grinned. "Thank you."

"Yes, thanks," Connor added, reaching out to squeeze Dawn's hand. The thought of leaving her to go home to his depressingly empty apartment was almost unbearable. After last night, he never wanted to be apart from her for another second.

"Well...I'm pretty exhausted. I think I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed," Dawn said. She hadn't showered in nearly 48 hours, and she had never felt so disgusting in her life. She gently lowered herself from the stool and Connor came to stand by her side.

"Okay, do you need help?" Dawn tilted her head towards Connor and gave her sister a pointed look. "Right. Never mind. Call me if you need anything, and don't forget to take your meds. Everything is in your room on the bed," Buffy said.

Dawn walked to her sister and enveloped her in a hug. "Thanks, Buffy."

Buffy stroked her sister's hair. "Sleep well." She stayed behind as Dawn and Connor walked into the bedroom and closed the door.

* * *

Connor wordlessly led Dawn into the bathroom. He turned the knob until warm water poured down, and then turned to her. He carefully helped her remove her t-shirt and sweats, handling her bandaged arms gently. She kicked off her shoes and took down her hair before slowly removing her bra and underwear. As she stepped into the tub, she turned back to look at him. "Can you...come in?"

Connor smiled and nodded, removing his own clothes before joining her in the shower. Her eyes were closed as she let the warm water run over her face and body. He touched her shoulder and she turned so her back was to him. He carefully washed her hair, massaging the shampoo into her scalp. When it was all rinsed out, she leaned back against him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. They stood there until the water grew cold, and Dawn hoped that he couldn't see her tears through the water.

Finally Connor reached out and turned the water off. "Wait here, I'll get you clothes," he said quietly. He stepped out of the shower, toweled off, and got dressed, before making a quick trip to the bedroom to grab Dawn's favorite pajamas, an old, tattered pair of blue pants with little stars on them, and an old t-shirt she had stolen from him. He brought them to her in the shower, and waited while she toweled off and slowly dressed. She towel-dried her hair before going into the bedroom. She had never been so happy to see her bed.

Connor drew back the covers and she climbed in. "Will you lie with me until I fall asleep?" she asked quietly. He responded by curling up next to her, pulling the blankets over them both. She spooned against him and in that moment all of the horror and grief of the past 24 hours almost seemed to fade away, and it was just them, together, as it should be.

* * *

TBC!


	28. Chapter 28: The Funeral

A/N: Only 3 more chapters to go after this one! I have set a goal to have them completed by the end of August when I go back to college, so here's hoping! Also, for those of you who read my other WIPs, The Serena Chronicles and Destiny, please know that I have no plans of permanently abandoning either one. I know it's been a ridiculously long time since they've been updated, but I do hope to return to them soon. Enjoy this chapter, and as always, please review!

* * *

Chapter 28: The Funeral

April 30th, 2004

"This isn't exactly how I imaged my first real trip to New York City," Dawn said sadly as the three of them navigated the crowded hallways of JFK airport.

Connor squeezed her hand. "Someday we'll come back when we can really enjoy it."

Dawn gave him a small smile. With the exception of the scars on her arms, which the doctor had promised would fade over time, there was no physical evidence of the traumatic events of nearly a week earlier.

"Let's get a cab and go to the hotel," Buffy said. Although it was only 7pm New York time, it was 1am Rome time, and they were exhausted from their 8 hour flight.

As they waited in the cab line outside the airport, Dawn tried to take in the atmosphere of the city she had only seen in the movies. She couldn't help but smile as she watched the hustle and bustle. "I used to dream about coming here all the time," she said quietly to Connor. "I always thought I would live here someday, but I think every little kid does."

Connor loaded their bags in the trunk of their cab, and the three of them piled in. Throughout the entire short ride to their hotel, Dawn stared out the window, mesmerized, nudging Connor whenever she spotted a famous landmark. "Look, there's MTV studios!" she said excitedly.

He looked at her blankly. "What's MTV?"

She looked at him in dismay. "Sometimes I almost forget that you didn't grow up in this dimension."

They reached their hotel, and Buffy was not surprised to find that Angel had booked them a 43rd floor penthouse suite in the heart of Times Square. She shook her head and smiled to herself as Dawn and Connor admired the spectacular view from the window. She had insisted that they were only staying 2 nights and that they didn't need anything special, but hadn't expected him to actually listen to her. Still, she had to admit that this room was pretty fantastic. There were even two separate bedrooms, which surprised her. But she wasn't going to argue. Connor had been staying at their apartment ever since Dawn got out of the hospital, and although she had protested at first, Buffy had to admit that having him around made the hole left by Faith seem slightly less obvious. She still hadn't been able to pack away their former roommate's possessions. They were still piled in the living room, where no one acknowledged them, yet she knew they would all be bothered if they disappeared.

"We should probably get some sleep," Buffy said.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Dawn asked. "I mean...before the service."

They were burying Faith at sunset in the same Brooklyn cemetery where Robin was buried. The reason the ceremony was at sunset was because Angel was going to be there, a fact that Buffy had been determinedly not thinking about.

"I don't know. Whatever we want, I guess. We could do some sightseeing, or maybe the concierge could get us tickets to a show," Buffy suggested. She thought it would be best if they kept busy to keep their minds off the difficult night they were going to have.

Dawn nodded. "We should. Do you want the shower first, or can I go?"

"Go ahead. I told Angel I'd call and let him know we arrived," Buffy said, unzipping her suitcase. Dawn nodded and carried her suitcase towards the bathroom, pulling it out of Connor's reach when he started to protest.

"I'm not an invalid. I can carry my own bag." She gave him a quick kiss before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"Uh...do you want me to sleep on the couch?" Connor asked awkwardly.

Buffy shook her head tiredly. "No. It's fine."

"Thanks," Connor said. He started to enter the other bedroom, but paused in the doorway, turning around. "I know you probably don't want to talk to me about it...but are you okay?"

Buffy gave him a sad smile. "I'm not even sure I remember what okay is anymore. But you don't need to worry about me. Just take care of Dawn."

Connor nodded. "I will." He looked at her as if he wanted to say something more, but decided against it and left the room.

* * *

When Dawn finished in the bathroom, Connor was sitting on the bed, flipping channels on the flat screen tv, although he was too distracted to have any idea what he was watching. He looked up and smiled. She was wearing a white tank top and low-slung pajama pants, with her damp hair hanging around her shoulders.

"Watching tv?" she asked, sitting down on the bed next to him.

"Not really," he said, switching it off. He straightened up when he suddenly felt Dawn kissing his neck. "Uh...what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she asked quietly. She swiftly repositioned herself so that she was standing in front of him, her legs straddling his. It was clear by the way she kissed him where she intended this to go.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" he asked, his coherent thoughts quickly evaporating as he became very aware of her pajama-clad body pressing against his.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "And I need you."

He stroked her back. "Buffy's in the next room."

"We can be quiet," Dawn whispered, kissing his earlobe. She gently pushed his shoulders and he scooted backwards on the bed, allowing her to crawl on top of him. "Just shut up and kiss me."

"Twist my arm..." Connor mumbled, wrapping his arm around her neck and pulling her head closer to his, kissing her fiercely.

* * *

The next day

"That was so amazing," Dawn said, her voice filled with wonder. She clutched Connor's hand as the three of them exited the Gershwin Theater, where they had just taken in a matinee of the musical Wicked. "I'm never going to be able to look at The Wizard of Oz the same way again."

Connor smiled. Aside from enjoying the look of awe as Dawn, who said she had always wanted to see a Broadway musical, watched the show, he had also been very impressed by the spectacle of it all. "That green girl could really sing."

"Did you like it, Buffy?" Dawn asked.

Buffy smiled and nodded. "It was amazing." When the curtain had fallen, she had realized that she had gone the entire two and a half hours without thinking about Faith, or the fact that she was seeing Angel in less than two hours. She had been in desperate need of such an escape, and it had been a bit disappointing when the show had ended and she had to face the real world again.

No one said much as they went back to the hotel and changed clothes. Dawn was brushing her hair in the mirror and adjusting her simple outfit of black pants and a long-sleeve pink top that covered her scars when there was a knock at the door of their suite. The three of them looked at each other, all knowing who it was.

"Do you want me to get it?" Connor asked after a minute when he realized Buffy wasn't moving.

She shook her head. "No, I've got it." She strode purposefully to the door, and Dawn and Connor pretended not to notice the way she steeled herself before opening it.

"Hi," Angel said. He was standing in the hallway, wearing his usual long black leather jacket and staring intently at Buffy. As always, Dawn felt as if she was intruding on a private moment merely by existing in the same general vicinity.

"Hey," Buffy said quietly. After standing awkwardly for a second, she stepped back, opening the door wider. Angel entered uninvited, due to the fact that a hotel was considered public property.

"Hi Dawn," Angel said. To her slight surprise, he reached out and gave her a hug, which she happily reciprocated. "Are you doing okay?" She noticed as his eyes flickered to her covered forearms.

"Yeah, much better," she said with as much of smile as she could muster.

Angel looked at Connor next. "Hi Connor."

"Hi...it's good to see you," Connor said, surprising even himself a little bit.

Angel smiled, pleased. "You too." He turned to Buffy, who was wearing a simple black dress. "Is everyone ready?" Buffy nodded and the four of them headed out. Connor reached for Dawn's hand, but she politely pulled back. When he looked at her questioningly, she gestured with her head towards Angel and Buffy ahead of them, who seemed to be taking great care to keep at least 3 feet of space between them at all times. Dawn figured that their little lapse in self-control at Christmas had them both on extra high alert. Connor nodded, understanding.

* * *

By the time they reached the cemetery, the sun had almost completely disappeared. Somehow Angel knew the way, and they all followed him. When they reached the freshly dug grave with the coffin containing Faith's body already partially lowered into it, they were greeted by a man in a suit who was holding a Bible. He shook Angel's hand, and Angel thanked him for coming. The man nodded and the two of them exchanged a few words too quietly for Buffy to hear. She noticed two other men standing somberly off to the side, presumably to finish the burial once they were done with their goodbyes. Buffy and Dawn were both holding roses that they had picked up on the way.

"When everyone's ready, we can begin," the man said. Angel looked to Buffy, who nodded. The four of them gathered around the grave and the man opened his book, clearing his throat.

"We gather today to send our sister, Faith, to her eternal rest," he began.

The rest of what the man (priest? The service was not exactly religious, and Buffy only knew that the transportation and burial of Faith's body had been arranged by Giles's former colleagues from the Watcher's Council) said passed in a blur to Buffy, although she was sure that it was very heartfelt and beautiful, without being overly sappy. Just what Faith would have wanted. Dawn stood the entire time with tears streaming down her face; Connor stood beside her with his arm around her shoulders, his head low. At one point Buffy felt Angel's fingers slip through hers, and although a weary part of her conscience told her that it was wrong, she welcomed his hand in hers.

"Now is the time for any of you who wish to say something to pay your last respects to Faith before we commence with the burial," the man said, taking a few, respectful steps back.

The four of them looked at each other. "I'll go," Angel said quietly, unlocking his hand from Buffy's. He selected a rose from one of the bouquets and approached the grave. "I hope you found your redemption," he said quietly, letting the flower fall onto the casket.

Dawn bravely stepped forward next. "Thank you for saving my life," she whispered through tears, dropping her own rose onto the grave. Connor stepped up beside her to pay his own respects, which echoed Dawn's. "Thank you," he said simply, not needing to specify for what.

They all looked at Buffy, who hesitated before slowly approaching the grave. For a long moment she just stood there, unable to find any words. "I'm sorry," she finally said as she added her own flower to the small pile. Sorry for what? For stabbing Faith in the gut on that rooftop nearly five years ago? For not being able to adequately protect her own sister, leaving Faith to take the fall? She wasn't even sure, yet the words seemed more appropriate than any others.

She stepped back and felt Angel's hand on her shoulder as they watched the two men who had been standing off to the side approach the grave with shovels to finish the burial. "We don't have to watch this," he whispered in her ear, glancing pointedly at Dawn, who was still crying. Buffy nodded and approached the man who had officiated the makeshift funeral, shaking his hand and muttering words of thanks.

"We can go, Dawn. It's over," Buffy said, touching her sister's arm. Dawn nodded and wiped her tears, clutching Connor's hand. The four of them walked away in silence.

"So, when do you head back?" Buffy asked Angel, not looking at him.

She could feel him watching her as he replied. "I don't know yet," he said.

"How did you get here?"

"Took an overnight flight," he said simply. "I'll probably lay low tomorrow and head back the same way. Hey," he said. Buffy paused, looking at him. "Why don't we all go get something to eat. Just hang out for a little while."

She stared at him. She knew what he was doing, trying to prolong their time together as subtly as possible. And she wasn't about to argue. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

An hour later, the four of them were sitting in a Times Square pub, with everyone but Angel overindulging in wonderfully greasy food in an attempt to move on from the sadness of the funeral. Dawn and Connor had instinctively sat down next to each other in the booth, leaving Buffy and Angel to also sit side by side. Buffy determinedly shoved another onion ring in her mouth, trying to focus on anything but the incredibly close quarters she was currently in with Angel.

"How's everyone in LA?" Dawn asked in an attempt to end the awkward silence.

"Everyone's good. Nothing's really changed," Angel said.

"Any interesting clients lately?" Dawn pressed.

Angel thought a moment. "Well, we had one guy who had a demon living in his wall and didn't even know it. It was a breed who likes small, dark spaces. He started smelling it and called us in. We had to knock down the wall to kill it. He wasn't too happy," he added.

"The guy or the demon?" Connor wondered.

Angel paused. "Both, actually." He glanced sideways at Buffy, who was intently twisting her straw wrapper around her finger.

"Hey, you know what," he said, picking up the glass of water that he'd ordered to be polite. "How about a toast." He lifted his glass. "To Faith."

Dawn, Buffy, and Connor raised their sodas, and the four of them clinked glasses. "To Faith," they echoed. After taking a drink, they all sat in silence in the booth for a few moments, lost in their own world as the busy pub and the even busier city outside bustled around them.

* * *

To Be Continued!


	29. Chapter 29: Diamonds and Diplomas

Chapter 29: Diamonds and Diplomas

June 18th, 2004

Connor paused outside the door of Buffy and Dawn's apartment. He felt oddly nauseous, as if there were a bunch of Irish dancers bouncing around in his stomach. He reached into his pocket and removed the small ring box, briefly flicking it open and gazing at the engagement ring he'd purchased nearly two months ago.

After his original plan to propose had gone horribly wrong, he hadn't put much thought into a new one. With Faith's death and Dawn's recovery, he knew that the timing was off. But now, a month and a half after their trip to New York for Faith's burial, things finally seemed to be settling down. A couple weeks ago, Connor had been surprised to arrive at their apartment and find a cardboard box containing Faith's belongings, which Buffy had finally brought herself to gather, sitting by the doorway. It was still there because no one really knew what to do with it; donating her few possessions did not seem appropriate, and throwing them away would be even worse. But it was a step in the right direction because at least her things were no longer strewn about the living room as if she might walk in the door at any moment and proclaim that the whole thing was an elaborate hoax.

What had finally pushed him to reconsider the ring that had been waiting patiently in his underwear drawer was the fact that Dawn's high school graduation was only a week away. He had decided that after the ceremony might be a good time to pop the question. He knew, however, that there was one critical step in this process that he had been planning to bypass before.

Connor knocked on the door before he could lose his nerve, returning the ring to his pocket. Buffy answered after about thirty seconds, looking at him in surprise. He noticed the increasingly dark circles under her eyes and how her clothes seemed a little baggier than usual, and felt a pang of worry. Although she went about her work at the cafe and her slaying as if nothing had changed, Connor had noticed a decline in Buffy's overall well-being since Faith's death, although he suspected that the slip had actually started earlier. He could tell that Dawn was seeing it too, although they never spoke of it.

"Oh, hi Connor. Um, Dawn's at school," Buffy said, looking confused.

"I know. I actually wanted to talk to you." He paused awkwardly. "Can I..?"

"Of course," Buffy said, swinging the door open. Connor entered and paused awkwardly at the kitchen counter. Buffy closed the door and turned to look at him expectantly. "What's up?" she asked cordially.

Connor inhaled. "Okay. Wow, I don't really know where to start." He looked at her. "Maybe you should sit down."

Buffy straightened a little, suddenly looking wary. "What's this about? Is something wrong with you and Dawn?"

"No, no, nothing like that. This is a good thing...well, hopefully," he said, chuckling nervously. He stared at his hands for a moment. "Look, Buffy...I hope you know how much I love your sister."

She nodded slowly, her expression offering no hints as to if she sensed where this was going. "I know. I think you've more than proven that."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Ever since I met Dawn...I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Oh, God," Buffy said with a sigh. She quickly moved herself to one of the stools, taking Connor's advice.

He looked at her nervously. "Buffy, I'm going to ask Dawn to marry me. And I was hoping that you would give us your, uh, blessing." The temperature in the room seemed to increase ten degrees.

Buffy was silent for a moment. "But you said you're going to ask her to marry you. No matter what I say."

Connor frowned, suddenly regretting his choice of words. "Well, um, that's not really what I meant..."

"Yes it is. But I appreciate you asking anyway," she said, her expression unreadable.

He raised an eyebrow. "So...do you?"

Buffy ran a hand through her hair, and in that moment she looked older than she ever had. "Look...I know what it feels like to be in love. And I also know what it feels like to have your heart broken to the point where you don't think it can ever be put back together again." She paused. "Do you realize how lucky you are? That you can be with her, with nothing standing in your way?"

Connor considered that. "Yes. I'm thankful for that every day. But I don't think we've exactly had it easy-"

"Yes, you have," Buffy gently corrected him. "Sure, you've had setbacks. But they weren't deal-breakers." She didn't need to say more, he knew exactly what she was talking about. "You're lucky. And you might not appreciate it now, but I hope that you realize someday." Connor just nodded, unsure of what to say.

Buffy sighed. "She's only seventeen."

"Eighteen in less than three weeks," he corrected her quietly.

Buffy gave him a look. "Still."

"Buffy...I promise you, that I'll take care of her. I'll do whatever I have to do to give her the life she deserves. And if I ever hurt her...I give you permission to hurt me," Connor said. Buffy raised an eyebrow, and he could tell that she was working very hard to hide a smile. "But you won't need to," he added hastily, cringing inwardly at the many ways in which the tiny blonde could probably kick his ass in a fight.

"All I want is for her to be happy. And I know that you make her happy. So...yes. You have my blessing," Buffy said. Connor was surprised to notice tears in her eyes.

His shoulders slumped in relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much." They hesitated awkwardly.

"Oh, what the hell," Buffy muttered, rising from her stool to give her future brother-in-law a hug. She laughed as they embraced, trying to wipe her eyes inconspicuously as they pulled apart. "You'd better have gotten her a nice ring," she half-joked.

Connor pulled out the box and flipped it open, allowing her to judge for herself. "I actually bought it a couple months ago," he admitted, deciding to leave out the part about his original proposal plans.

Buffy studied the modest yet striking pear-shaped diamond. "She'll love it," she declared. "When are you going to do it?"

"I was thinking after her graduation," Connor said.

Buffy nodded. "That's a good idea." She shook her head. "Wow. I mean, I kind of figured this would happen someday...but here we are."

"Here we are," Connor repeated.

* * *

One week later  
June 25th, 2004

"We did it!" Amelia squealed, running to Dawn. The two girls threw their arms around each other and hugged jubilantly.

The graduation ceremony had just ended. After sitting through an hour of speeches, Buffy, Connor, Gina, and James had proudly watched as Dawn received her diploma.

"Connor, will you take a picture of us?" Amelia asked, handing him a digital camera.

"Sure," Connor said. Dawn and Amelia posed as he clicked the button. "Perfect," he said, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. He watched while Dawn received hugs from Gina and James, and he barely noticed when Buffy came up behind him.

"Are you still planning to do it?" Buffy asked quietly.

Connor nodded. "Yup. Just waiting for the right moment."

Buffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, good luck. Not that you'll need it." She paused a moment, tilting her head to the side as she watched her sister, clad in her royal blue graduation robe, chat animatedly with her friends. "I'm so proud of her."

"So am I. It was a nice ceremony...at least it sounded nice from what I could understand," Connor commented.

"Hey, at my graduation our keynote speaker turned into a giant snake and I had to blow up the school to destroy it. Anything else is an upgrade," Buffy said wryly.

Dawn suddenly turned, and grinned when she spotted Connor. As she started heading over Buffy squeezed his shoulder. "I think this is your moment." Before he could say anything she had quietly extracted herself to go talk to Gina.

Dawn wrapped her arms around Connor's neck and they kissed. "Congratulations," he said with a smile.

"Thank you. I have to admit, it felt pretty good to walk across that stage. After everything that happened last year, I wasn't sure if I would ever finish high school."

"Well, you did." He took her hand and started to gently lead her away from the crowd of proud families.

"Where are we going?" Dawn asked, confused.

"Not far." He stopped when they reached a large tree, far enough away from the excitement but close enough that he could still see Buffy pretending not to be watching them. He took both of Dawn's hands in his own. "I have something to say."

"Okay. Should I be worried?" Dawn said, half-joking.

"No. At least...I hope not." He took a deep breath. "I've been trying to come up with the right thing to say all week to make this perfect, but the only thing I realized was that there was nothing I could say that would be...worthy. So I'm just going to say this." She stared into his eyes inquisitively, not sure where this was going. "Dawn...I love you. I know you know that, but I'm not sure you'll ever know how much. All of this...I can't say it's a normal life, because it will never be normal, but it's sure as hell a lot closer than I ever thought I'd get. And all I want is to be able to spend every day, normal or not, with you."

Dawn put a hand to her mouth in shock as Connor got down on one knee, reaching into his pocket for the ring box. "Oh my God," she said.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time, but now...here we are. Dawn Summers...will you marry me?" He opened the ring box.

Dawn stood stock still for about five seconds before she nodded fervently. "Yes. Yes!" He realized that she was crying, despite the mile-wide smile on her face. She held out her hand and he placed the ring on it: it was a perfect fit.

He stood up and embraced her as they kissed. She shrieked as he picked her up and spun her around, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. "Oh my God, it's perfect. It's beautiful." He put her down and Dawn admired her ring, holding it up to the sunlight. "I love you so much." They hugged again, laughing with joy.

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Buffy approached them, with Amelia, Gina, and James trailing behind. "She said yes!" Connor said loudly, grinning so wide that his face hurt. Amelia's mouth was hanging open in shock, Gina was clutching her heart and appeared to have tears in her eyes, and James was grinning at Connor in approval. Buffy ran straight to her sister and enveloped her in a hug, whispering her congratulations. Dawn held up the ring and her girlfriends surrounded her to see.

"Well look at that. Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" James asked Connor.

Connor shrugged sheepishly. "I thought you might tell Gina, and she probably wouldn't be able to contain herself. Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. I'll forgive you, as long as you make me the best man at the wedding."

Connor smiled. "Well I don't know when that will be...Dawn might want to wait before we actually get married. But when the day comes, you're it."

James suddenly looked worried. "Gina looks awfully happy...I hope this doesn't put any ideas in her head. I mean, I'm crazy about her, I just don't know if we're ready for that."

Connor laughed. "All in due time. Believe me, it's taken a lot for Dawn and I to get here."

As James wandered back over to Gina, Connor thought about how he'd confided in Faith back when he'd initially planned the proposal. It all seemed like so long ago. "Thanks, Faith," he whispered. He felt like wherever she was, she was happy for them.

* * *

"I just can't stop staring at it!" Dawn said giddily, admiring her ring.

After a celebratory post-graduation and proposal dinner, Dawn had convinced Buffy to let her spend the night at Connor's apartment. Now, after an enthusiastic and lengthy celebration of their own, Dawn was lying on her back, clinging the sheet to her bare chest and holding her left hand in the air as Connor lied beside her, watching.

"I'm so glad you like it."

"How did you know my ring size?" Dawn asked.

"Faith helped me out with that. She took one of your other rings from your room and I brought it to the store," Connor said quietly.

Dawn nodded, bringing her hand down. "Just how long have you been planning this?"

Connor sighed. "Well I was originally going to propose the night...the night that everything happened." Sad realization dawned on her face. "But then afterwards, with everything...I decided to wait. Until today."

"I had no idea," she said.

"Really? You didn't suspect at all?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Well, I thought...hoped, that someday. But I had no idea when."

Connor propped himself up to a sitting position. "You're sure...it's not too soon, right? Because I know that you're- that we're young, but I just didn't see the point in waiting any longer."

Dawn sat up on her knees. "Connor, can't you tell how happy I am? Today has been one of the best days of my entire life. I am, so, SO happy that you didn't wait."

Connor reached out and put an arm around her, pulling her to lean against his chest. "Good. I'm happy I didn't either. And you know, we can get married whenever you want. I would happily marry you tomorrow, but if you want to wait, I understand."

Dawn was silent for a moment. "You know, whenever I thought about my dream wedding when I was a little girl, I always imagined all the frills possible, you know? The massively poofy white dress, a small army of bridesmaids, hundreds of pink roses, a horse-drawn carriage bringing me to the chapel..." They both laughed.

"Well I'm sure that could be arranged. I'll need to take on some extra shifts if we're going to pay for all of it," Connor joked. "But I want you to have your dream wedding. We'll make it happen."

"But see, that's just it. That's what I wanted then. I had no idea what I was talking about. It was all just a fantasy. But then I met you. And I fell in love, and it wasn't a fantasy anymore, it was real. And now that we have this, I don't want any of that anymore. I don't need dozens of roses or a designer dress or hundreds of guests. All I need is us, and the people we love, and that will be my real dream wedding."

Touched, he kissed her head. "Then that's what we'll have."

Dawn sat up and turned to face him. "We can keep it small. I already asked Amelia and Gina to be my bridesmaids. Hopefully we can have Willow and Xander and Giles and everyone from LA there, and it can be small and perfect."

"Where do you want to do it?" Connor asked.

"I don't know. I was thinking about that. I mean, a Rome wedding could be really beautiful. But something about it feels kind of off."

"I know what you mean. It's nice here, but it's not our real home," Connor agreed.

"Exactly. So I was thinking maybe LA. Buffy said that we can go visit everyone this summer, so maybe we can do it then."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Connor said. "Or, we could always elope. Go get married right now."

Dawn looked a little taken aback. "Well, I don't know...not about the right now part, but eloping isn't very glamorous. Besides, Buffy would kill me if she wasn't there."

"What happened to the whole speech about not needing a frilly wedding?" he teased.

"Well...just a couple of frills would be nice. You know, maybe not a_ really_ poofy dress, but something-" her voice broke off into giggles as he climbed on top of her, showering her with kisses.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long. Only two more chapters to go! As always, thank you to everyone who follows this story, and please take a few minutes to review! It is much appreciated.


	30. Chapter 30: A Place to Call Home

Chapter 30: A Place to Call Home

One week later

July 2nd, 2004

Dawn sat on the couch flipping channels, her boredom plain from her face. Buffy leaned against the kitchen counter, rifling absentmindedly through a magazine.

Finally, Dawn gave up and switched the television off, looking at her sister. "Buffy? What are we still doing here?"

Buffy looked taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about," Dawn said. "A year ago, Rome sounded like a great idea. We all needed something new. And I think we accomplished that. I finished high school. So now...what's keeping us here?"

Buffy sighed, closing her magazine. "I have a job here, Connor has a job here...we have friends here. You have Amelia, and Gina, and James..."

"I know, but aside from all that. What am I supposed to do now? I'm a high school graduate...but where do I go from here?" Dawn asked. She took a breath, preparing herself before putting her next proposal on the table. "I've been doing some research, just out of curiosity, and I found out that there are a lot of colleges in California that have rolling admissions."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You want to move back to California?"

"Not even necessarily California. But Buffy...don't you miss home? Even a little bit?"

"Last time I checked, home was a giant crater," Buffy said.

"You know that's not what I mean. I mean the United States. Italy has been great, but do we really have a future here?" Dawn asked.

Buffy frowned. "Have you talked to Connor about this?"

"Yes, actually, I have. And he wants me to go to college, if that's what I want. And he said that he could get another job with a moving company or wherever anywhere I wanted to go," Dawn said quietly.

Buffy took that in. "So what's stopping you, then?"

"Buffy, I would never just go off without you," Dawn said. "I don't want to go anywhere unless you want to come, too."

Buffy slowly walked over and sat down on the couch beside her sister. "And by anywhere, you mean LA."

"Well, it makes the most sense. It's a lot easier to move somewhere where you at least know someone. And with Willow, Xander, and Giles all in different countries...it seems like the best place to settle down."

"My seventeen year old sister, talking about settling down," Buffy said, shaking her head.

"Eighteen in a week, and yes. I'm not talking about saving up for retirement, but I am thinking about the future. Connor and I are getting married. And I want to have somewhere we can really call a home."

"That's really sweet. It really, really is. But LA might be the best option for you, but it sure as hell isn't for me," Buffy reminded her gently. "I can visit. But settling down there permanently, so close...I don't think it's the best idea." She took a breath. "But if it's what you and Connor want, I'm sure I could join Willow, or Giles-"

"No way. You're my family." Dawn shook her head stubbornly. "Package deal."

Buffy rested her head in her hands. "I just don't know, Dawn. I do miss the US. And California. I really do. But what is there for me there? You know, I've been thinking about it, and I think I finally figured out why I've felt so lost this year. And it's because I have no purpose."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. My life used to be about fighting vampires. Saving the world. Then I gave that up. Willingly, and I don't regret it. But I don't think I ever realized how much that was who I was, not until I wasn't it anymore. But that's who I was. The Chosen One. And now I don't know where I go from here."

Dawn didn't know what to say. "If you miss being a part of the good fight, I know that in England there's a lot more going on. We could go and you could help Giles with all the new slayers there."

"But see, I don't know if I want that either. I think that when I made that decision, it was because I thought I could be something besides the slayer. But now, what am I? A waitress? And not even a very good one. Maybe the most important part of my life is over."

"Don't you ever say that. Buffy, there is still so much out there for you. You gave up years of your life fighting vampires, and now this is your reward. You just need to get out there and enjoy it. Maybe you haven't found what else it is you're meant to do yet, but you will."

"Except I don't even know where to start," Buffy confessed. "I don't know how to be anything but the slayer."

"That's not true. You know how to be a damn good big sister," Dawn said with a smile.

Buffy smiled back. "If it makes you happy, we can go to LA. I'm not saying give up the apartment and pack everything, but maybe...a trial period."

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked worriedly. "I mean...I know how hard it is for you to be around Angel-"

"No, you really don't have any idea," Buffy said grimly. "But I've dealt with it before. I'm just...weaker than I've been in a while. And I'm worried."

"Like when you guys kissed at Christmas?" Dawn asked.

Buffy groaned. "More than kissed. There were...hands. In places where they shouldn't be hands. And I think that's enough of a visual for you."

"Definitely. But you both know better now, maybe you just needed to get that out of your systems," Dawn suggested.

"We'll never be out of each other's systems," Buffy admitted. "There are just moments when we're better at pretending that we're over each other."

Dawn hesitated. "Well, we can deal with where we're going to live later, but Connor and I did decide that we'd like to get married in LA. It seems like the best place where we could have everyone there, and it's the first place we met."

Buffy smiled. "I definitely understand that. Everyone wants us to visit anyway, so we can go anytime you'd like. And then, we can take it from there."

Dawn reached out and hugged her sister. "Thank you. Actually, while we're having this little heart to heart...there's one more favor I'd like to ask you," Dawn said as they pulled away. "Will you give me away at the wedding?"

Tears sprang to Buffy's eyes. "I would be honored." They hugged again.

* * *

3 weeks later

July 23rd, 2004

"Gina, stop crying!" Dawn insisted. "We're going to see each other soon, for the wedding!"

Gina nodded, wiping her eyes. "I know. But it just won't be the same without you here!" she wailed.

Buffy, Dawn, and Connor were in the airport, surrounded by Gina, James, and Amelia, who had all come to see them off. After getting all of their affairs in order, the three of them were heading to Los Angeles indefinitely. Immediately after Dawn's conversation with Buffy, Connor had put in his two weeks notice at Rome Movers and Co.. Buffy had notified their landlord that they would be moving out of the apartment, and as far as she knew the next tenants were already lined up. Connor had also turned in the keys to his apartment without looking back.

Dawn turned to Amelia next. "I'm really going to miss you," Dawn whispered, giving her friend a tight hug. "But you'll be there for the wedding, too, and you can visit all the time."

Amelia nodded. She had already been accepted into the local university, where she would be starting in the fall. "I'm happy for you, though. I've been here long enough now that Italy is my home. It's not yours."

"I don't know what I would have done without you," Dawn admitted. They hugged again, tears in both their eyes.

"Work isn't going to be the same without you, man," James confessed to Connor. "But hey, at the end of the year I'm out of here too. My study abroad will be over and I'll be back to Massachusetts."

Connor gestured in Gina's direction. "What about..."

James smiled nervously. "Well, it's still a few months off, but I was actually thinking about taking her with me. If she wants to, that is."

"Whoa. That's a pretty serious move," Connor said appreciatively.

"Well if things keep going the way they're going...and my family absolutely loved Gina when I brought her home for Christmas. And there's nothing keeping her here. So we'll see," James said.

The final boarding call for their flight was announced. Everyone shared final hugs and promised to call before Buffy, Dawn, and Connor headed to the gate, waving at their friends behind them. Gina cried into James's shoulder and Amelia smiled sadly at Dawn.

As they walked through the tunnel to the plane, their friends out of sight, Dawn turned to Connor. "I didn't realize how hard it would be to say goodbye," she admitted.

He squeezed her hand. "This is what you want, though. Right?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes. It is." She put her arm around him and they followed Buffy the rest of the way to the plane.

* * *

Two days later

July 25th, 2004

"Finally done sleeping off that jet lag?" Angel asked Dawn as she wandered into the lobby of the Hyperion, coffee in hand.

She smiled sleepily. "Yes, I think so."

Angel nodded towards Dawn's hand. "I didn't get a good look before- may I?" Dawn nodded and held out her hand proudly so Angel could admire her engagement ring. "Not bad," he said with a smile.

Dawn smiled back. When they had initially told Angel the news over the phone he had seemed more than a little taken aback, but now that they were actually here he seemed to be warming up to the idea. "Thank you, by the way. For having us again."

"You know you're welcome as long as you'd like," Angel said. He cleared his throat oddly, as if he were leading up to something. "By the way, I was just wondering...you guys being back here, is that a permanent thing?"

Dawn nodded slowly. "We're not quite sure yet. I mean, Connor and I definitely want to settle down somewhere after the wedding. And Buffy..." She took a sip of coffee. "Well, we're definitely considering LA. It just depends on...things." She hurriedly raised her mug to her lips again before she could say anything else.

Angel seemed to understand. "I see." There was a brief awkward silence. "So, have you two set a date yet?"

"Not yet. We're hoping soon, though. Before the end of the summer would be nice, as long as everyone can fly in," Dawn said. "We just need to decide on a location and then we can choose a date. Also, you'll be happy to know that wherever we have it, it will be at sundown. It's important to both of us that you can be there."

Angel looked touched. "Thank you. You should probably talk to Cordelia about the location thing, she probably knows all the hot spots where people get married these days."

"Yeah, I will. We don't really want something too traditional, you know? I have a feeling we'll know when we find the right place," Dawn said thoughtfully.

They heard the stairs creak and turned their heads to see Connor and Buffy descending them. Connor looked well-rested and chipper. Buffy, on the other hand, looked like she could stand to sleep another day. Or three.

"Good morning Connor, Buffy," Angel said politely. "There's coffee in the office if you'd like some."

Connor came over and kissed Dawn good morning. Buffy made a beeline for the coffee, seeming to avoid Angel's gaze as much as possible. He watched her, and after a moment, followed. Dawn and Connor exchanged glances.

"Why don't we go outside," Dawn suggested, giving Connor's hand a pointed tug. He followed her into the courtyard so they could give Buffy and Angel their privacy.

"Is it really the best idea to leave them alone?" Connor wondered aloud.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Of course. And whether they like it or not, they should talk."

* * *

"You're going to kill me for asking this...but are you okay?" Angel asked, hovering in the doorway to his office.

Buffy didn't look up as she finished filling her coffee mug. "Thanks for the compliment. I'm still jet lagged as hell after traveling halfway around the world, so I apologize for not sparkling."

"That's not what I meant," Angel said. He took a step closer to her. "You have dark circles, and you look thin. Are you taking care of yourself?"

Buffy glared at him over her coffee. "Wow, you really know how to flatter a girl."

"I'm worried about you, Buffy," Angel insisted.

"Have you been talking to Dawn?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "No. Why, is she worried about you too?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. But I don't know what you're worried about, the past year of my life has been a picnic compared to the eight or so before that," she lied. Angel just stared at her. "Stop looking at me like that," Buffy said angrily.

"Buffy...I know that it's hard for us to be around each other."

"Speak for yourself, I'm fine," Buffy said, attempting to leave the room. Angel quietly stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. A shiver went down her spine at his touch. Her reaction was noticeable enough to contradict herself, so she gritted her teeth and turned to face him.

"I want you to know that you can still talk to me," Angel said quietly.

Buffy considered him for a moment. "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Back in the courtyard, Dawn and Connor were sitting down, enjoying the sun when Dawn suddenly sat up so straight that she almost spilled the remainder of her coffee. "Oh my God," she said, her eyes wide.

Connor frowned. "What? Did you leave your straightener on or something?"

"No, it's not that." Dawn stood up suddenly, looking all around. "It's this place. It's perfect! I can't believe I didn't think of it before!" She spun around. "Do you remember what happened right here, almost in this very spot?"

Connor smiled. "The first night we kissed, of course I remember." Their very first kiss had been out on the street while patrolling, but right after returning they had their second right in the courtyard of the hotel.

Dawn grinned. "Yes! Plus this is where we met. This place was the start of everything for us. And it's adorable. With some little lights in the trees over there, and the sun setting..."

"What are you talked about?" Connor asked, completely lost.

Dawn rushed over and grabbed his hands excitedly. "Connor, this is it! This is where we should get married!"

Connor looked around. "Here? At the hotel?"

"Yes, right here in the courtyard! It's perfect! This place means so much to us, plus it won't cost anything, and our guests can all stay right here. What do you think?" she asked, her cheeks pink with excitement.

Connor turned around, surveying the place. "Well, as long as Angel's okay with it...I agree. I think it would be perfect."

Dawn squealed with excitement, rushing towards the hotel. "Buffy, Angel? Can you come out here for a second?"

Confused, Buffy and Angel emerged from his office. "What is it?" Buffy asked wearily.

Dawn grabbed Connor's hand. "Angel, we were wondering if it would be okay if we had the wedding here."

"At the hotel?" Angel asked.

"Yes. Right here, in the courtyard. I think it would be really nice, and this place has meant a lot to us," Dawn explained.

Angel glanced at Buffy. "I don't see why not. Wait till you tell Cordy, she'll be so excited to decorate."

Dawn threw her arms around Angel. "Thank you so much! It's going to be beautiful! Now we just need to pick a date!" She grabbed Connor's hand and half-dragged him behind her as she darted excitedly into the hotel, bitten by the wedding planning bug.

"Well I guess we have a wedding to plan," Buffy said, a real smile playing at her lips for the first time all morning. Her eyes met Angel's and he smiled back.

* * *

One more chapter to go! I can't promise that it will be quick because I just started a new semester today, but I will do the best I can! I have been envisioning this final chapter for literally years and I can't wait to finally share it with all of you. Keep the wonderful feedback coming!


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